Era of the Dark Swan
by MeToLee
Summary: Starts at exactly where season 4 ended.


_"I love you"_ Emma said to her love and pushed him out of harms way. Then struck the dagger into the heart of darkness without a second thought to save her friend, the Evil Queen. Her family and friends couldn't do anything but listen her screams while the Dark One tethered itself to her very soul. And then she disappeared into thin air, left behind only the infamous dagger of the Dark One with a new name scratched on it: _'Emma Swan'_

* * *

Snow collapsed on her knees with a shock in her face and Charming barely realized that. He was just standing there like he was stunned with one of Regina's paralyzing spells. They were both looking at the dagger like they couldn't belive it was real.

Killian on the other hand crawling around at the last place they saw her, searching the ground with his hand and claw like he was hoping to find her while talking to himself. "No. Don't do this to me! Not after what you just said!"

Regina was the first to come to her senses. _Stupid girl!_ She thought to herself reffering to Emma. She was actually grateful to her but also angry... angry at herself because of catching off guard to darkness like an amateur and for doing nothing while her friend sacrificed herself to save her. "Snow! Charming!" she called but they weren't answering. In fact they look like they didn't even hear her.

"What just happened?" Robin asked. "Where is she?" he also looked shocked and Regina couldn't blame him.

"I don't know..." Regina admitted with a frown face. She didn't like having no answers. "Snow! Charming!" They finally looked at her there was so much despair in their eyes Regina almost wished she didn't called them out. Almost. The former Evil but still the Queen woman had no time for such nonsense way of thinking. She sighed then told Robin to get them and go to Granny's Diner. She was going to take Hook.

When they hear her plan to leave they all decided to wake up from their nightmares at the same time.

"What do you mean we should go?" Snow asked, new found anger bring some color to her face.

"She is our daugter!" David yelled "I'm not going anywhere until I find her."

"Bloody woman! She just saved you and you want to leave her to her fate!" Killian yelled while walking towards her.

Then before Regina can answer or even make out anything they said in that jumble of words they all started to call out for Emma almost at the same time.

"Stop that you idiots!" Regina said and wave her hands at them. She cast a spell to take their voice. They all turned to her with angry faces and became very verbal with their hand gestures.

"Regina what are you doing?" Robin asked while managing to look even more shocked then before, his eyebrows were literally in danger of getting lost in his hairs.

"I'm trying to stop them from killing us!" Regina said angrily and looked at three front of her. Snow White, Prince Charming and Captain Hook returned her annoyed looks in kind. "We can't just summon her without some protection or at the very least getting the dagger."

Then she moved towards to dagger but Snow beat her to it and hold it tight with a motherly protective expression on her face.

"Fine!" Regina said and waved her hand to dispell the spell she cast, only to regret it the minute she did.

They all started to complain again all at once.

"What do you mean protection! She won't harm us! She is our daughter!" Snow and David said.

"I don't intend to wait her bloody Majesty to the decide what to do! I need to make sure she is okay!" Killian said at the same time.

"We dont know that!" Regina argued "We don't know if she is okay or if she will remember us. What happens if she hurt or kill us then who the hell is going to bring her back? You seven midgets? Or your mangy dog friend? A bottle of rum?"

They slowly but steadily listened to reason.

"Okay" Snow said while still holding on to the dagger like it can give her daughter back to them... it could in a way. "We should go to the diner while everyone is still there and talk to them. They need to know. Hook would you go ahead and get Belle and Henry please?"

"Aye" Pirate said without looking at them, he was trying to hide his tears no doubt. Then he left.

Other four start walking towards to Diner each lost in their thoughts.

* * *

When they walked in to the diner they saw everyone expecting them. Questions started to come from every direction.

"What happened?

"Are you guys Ok?

"Did you saved Gold?"

Questions overwhelmed Snow and she quietly walk to the middle of the diner. By the changes of the questions and the tone they were asked looks like her face must have betrayed her feelings.

"What happened?"

"You look terrible."

"Is everyone okay?"

Snow White stood in the middle and said "Let's wait for everyone else to come. I don't have the strength to do this twice."

"Do what?" they asked.

Snow's hands began to shake while trying so hard not to cry. David immedietly bring her a chair and Regina put her hand to Snow's shoulder to keep her calm. Door opened again Belle, Henry and Hook walked inside with a dreaded look in their face. Hook must have told them what happened.

Snow hold on to her husbands arm and get up on the chair he brought for her. Then she lifted the dagger above her head for all to see.

People fall into silence for a moment with the sight of the dagger. Some of them covered their faces with their hands like they don't want to see it, while others hold their breath. Ruby run toward her friend Snow and hugged her.

Then again the questions begin.

"How did this happen?" Ruby asked.

"What are we going to do without a Savior?" Sneezy asked without sneezing which was quite a feat.

"What are we going to with a Dark One Savior?" Leroy asked. He was sensitive as an ogre as always.

"Silence!" Regina's voice whipped the air. "Your Princess is talking!" Old Evil Queens voice can still instill fear into some residents of Storybrooke. Old habits die hard.

"We dont have to listen to you!" Leroy said.

"And I don't have to turn you into a toad but I really want to." Regina said with a threatening voice

"Enough Regina! What're we going to do is, we will try to help my daughter!" Snow White said to her people with a tone that accepts no opposition.

"But how?" Dr. Whale asked.

"We don't know yet!" David jumped in before Snow can answer and he glance with his stern looks to the doctor until the man started to look uncomfortable. Satisfied by the result and making sure the doctor won't try to talk to his wife again David continued. "But we owe her to try. She saved us all how many times? I lost count."

Crowd seemed to approve.

Hooked interrupted "I might have an idea about how to do that mate. Before we came after you Apprentice told us about a sorcerer powerful enough to banish the bloody darkess. Said his name is Merlin."

"And did he say where this sorcerer was?" asked Snow with a reneved hope in her eyes.

"Sadly, no" the pirate said. "He passed out after that."

"What about Rumpelstiltskin? Does he awake? We could really use his help." David asked to Belle.

"No not yet. He is in some kind of magical coma." Belle said with a sad face. "I can try my books to find something useful on Darkness and the Magician." Belle suggested.

"Thank you." Snow said with a greatful look in her face.

While Belle turned away to leave to diner Robin talked "This is all well and good but shouldn't we at least try to summon her?" Belle froze in middle of her step and stayed in the diner with a worried look. Everyone exept Hook, Charming, Snow, Henry and Regina looked at him like a crazy person. Those five really wanted to see Emma again, even Regina. Even after all her talks about precautions, protection and whatnot she was wondering what happened to her friend.

"Are you crazy? asked Leroy. "So they can forge a new band of Queens of Darkness? With Maleficent and with..." he decide not to finishing that sentence but everyone understand who he was about to reffer: Regina.

"I'll never understand how did you manage to live with these midgets." Regina said to Snow White.

"Dwarves sister!"

Snow and David would normally laugh the fighting between Dwarf and Queen but not today...

"Robin is right." David said "For all we know she could be alright waiting impetiently to one of us to summon her to get back to us..." said with a brave smile but everyone understand that he really didn't believe what he said.

"I don't know if this is a really good idea." Dr. Hopper said. "Having a being of pure Darkness inside her could really change her dramaticaly. Summoning her right now could open some new wounds..." He was looking at Henry while saying that.

"I'm okay." Henry said. "I want to see her too."

"Henry..." Regina said.

Henry knew what was coming and interrupted her "I'll see her sooner or later you know that. Wouldn't you want me to see her while you're with me. Besides she's not going to hurt me or anyone... she is the Savior."

Regina sighed and looked at Snow and nodded with her head.

Snow raised the Dagger with shaking hands and everyone hold their breath. Contrary to her hands her voice was steady when she speak these words: "Dark One I summon thee... Come to me Emma Swan. My daughter."

* * *

Minutes passed and suspense quickly became unbearable. Nothing happened! Nothing. No one came.

With one look at his face, Regina understood that Henry was assuming the worst and she reassured him. "She is probably in another realm. That must be it." Regina was suprised when she realized that she also trying to reaussure herself.

Then before anyone can answer ground started to shake. But then stopped as sudden as it was started. Everyone panicked but they were too affraid to run or hide. Being with eveyone else bring them some comfort. Regina hold Henry. Snow get small Neal from Granny and David hugged them. Little Roland hold his father Robin's hand.

Suddenly lights start flickering and some light bulbs exploded. Then ground started shaking again. Car alarms starting to go off at the outside and by the looks of the trees there is a terrible wind. Plates and Cups starting to fall and break all over the place at first, then they started to float around like there was no gravity. Then lights go out completely. Few seconds later it was all over. Winds stoped, lights came back on, if it wasn't for the sound of the car alarms and the broken glasses on the ground it was almost like nothing happened.

Then the Diner's door opened and a raven haired women walked inside. She was wearing black clothes head to toe with a long black leather jacket like the one Hook used to wear and there was an unexplainable smoke coming out of her body. She had the palest skin they ever saw. If they didn't saw her moving few seconds ago they could've swore she was dead. She looked skinny but masculine. Every one holded their breath when they see her. That was Emma no doubt about it. But it was neither her clothes nor her skin that froze them. It was her eyes. Her once bright green eyes that always shining with hope and goodness inside her was changed, now they were only pure black. She was radiating a dark aura around her that almost sucks out all the light in the big dining room. Before anyone can say anything she looked around her without recognizing anyone and demanded to know: "Who summoned me?"

* * *

"Mom?" Henry asked and run toward her without anyone can stop him. Emma didn't even seem to understand who the boy refers too.

"Swan!" Killian yelled he's started to run toward her with a big smile in his face.

Emma paralyzed the pirate with a wave of his hand but because of the distraction he caused she didn't see Henry coming and the boy passed her defenses and hugged her mother. Emma looked down to the boy with a blank expression.

"Whose little human is this?" she asked with a indifferent voice.

"Mom it's me!" Henry yelled and shaking her like that can make her remember whatever she forgot in the little time she was away. New Dark One feel thretened or didn't like to get shaken like an apple tree or whatever the reason Emma hissed to the boy and magicaly pushed him away before Regina can do anything.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked to Emma. Regina was looking pissed and shocked at the same time. Her hands were up, like she is ready to fight back with her magic.

A fireball appeared in Emma's hand and then...

"STOP!" Snow White ordered with the dagger as tears started to roll down her cheek.

"Are you okay Henry?" asked Regina while serching for physical injuries on the boy.

"I'm okay Mom." Henry answered. Looks like only thing that got hurt was his emotions.

"Where did you get that?" Emma asked angrily. This was the first real reaction she gave. She started to look even more threatening and the dark aura around her started to grow.

"Release him!" Snow ordered to Dark One while nodding towards to paralyzed pirate with her head.

Emma didn't even move a muscle but pirate was free.

"Bloody hell women are you trying to kill me?" Killian complained. He was still smiling. Despite what happened he was still happy to see her. And others understood how he felt.

"I have more effective ways for killing." Emma answered to his rethorical question.

What happened to you?" David and Hook asked at the same time. Emma didn't feel the need to answer to them. Then Snow White asked again with the dagger.

"I'm the Dark One." she replied like that explains everything.

"But your eyes your skin and your aura..."

"I've been remade after merging with the Dark Being." the Dark One answered without realizing the frightened looks around her.

Snow's sound was started to shake like the rest of her body and she sat down. "But why?" she asked.

That question forced Emma to think. "I was strong... stronger then every other vessel before, but I was a useless servant. Always clinging to my past life and memories... And stubborn not to learn, not to bow, not to obey. It needed a vessel that purrified from such weaknesses. But it also wanted me to keep my other usefull skills I had before we merge. It took years and a lot of painful seassions the get those out of me without damaging my other skills. "

"Years?" They asked all together but she only answered to the one who holds the dagger.

"Time flows differently at the Dark One's realm." was the only answer that she gave to her.

"Give me that" Regina said. "I have some questions for her." Snow hesitated at first but then give the dagger to the Queen.

Emma turned her threatening gaze to the new wielder of the dagger but former Evil Queen doesn't scare that easy. Still she felt uneasy while looking at her dark eyes.

"Who is this "it" you're talking about?"

"Why the darkness of course." it was the first time she looked surprised. Doesn't these fools know who they summoned?

"Tell me about this Dark One's Realm. How long have you been there?"

"More than a hundred of years of this world."

Ragine almost dropped the dagger. Then she realized that Emma saw that too and she was looking for a chance to move in. So she wasn't that unavare of her surroundings as she appears.

Everyone looked shocked. David sit down on a chair next to Snow White. His brave face finally shattered and he started crying. Hook was looking at her like she saw her for the first time.

"That's... that's impossible." Henry said. "You should be long dead!"

"Dark One cannot die." Emma answered like it was obvious, even though Henry didn't have the dagger. Regina noticed that but didn't understand why. Is she start to remember something? Or is she simply doesn't want to piss off the lady with the dagger? Her money was on the latter. No matter how much she wants her friend back it was too soon for her to remember anything just yet.

"And what skills does it wanted you to keep?" Regina tried not to look frightened while asking that but that questions answer was the one scaring her the most. She find herself praying for being wrong with her guess to which skills would those be.

And the answer she feared was the answer she was given: "My light magic."

"No." that was Blue Fairy. Sho looked shocked.

And Regina can understand why. This time it was her turn to sit down with shaking legs. No matter how hard they try a warrior of the light or dark can't use the opposing force to serve their needs. Surely a being that dark as it gets as Dark One shouldn't even get near light magic. "S-show me." Regina stuttered. "Don't cast anything just hold on to your both magical energy." she added hastily before the blasted women send them to the dark side of the moon.

Emma looked at the ceiling then closed her eyes. The very air started the electrocuted around them. Everyone, even the ones that doesn't able the use magic felt the energy and the power the new Dark One commands. A dark energy started grow out of Emma's fisted left hand while a white one started to grow on her right hand. Both magical energies started to grow and spread around her hands then to her arms they were climbing up and down to her body mingling at some points but always staying at their half of her body.

When Emma started to use her both Dark and Light magic at the same time Blue and Regina felt like they just kicked in the gut. They were expecting to see her use one then the other and they certeinly weren't expecting see her breaking the basic laws of magic.

"Regina?" Snow asked while still looking at her daughter.

"You're going to kill her!" Blue Fairy yelled.

Killian and David both moved towards her after hearing Blue Fairy's last comment.

"Stay back you idiots! Didn't you hear! Dark One Cannot Die! We need to see how powerful she is! We need to see her limits!"

Emma reacted to her last words like it was a challenge and opened her eyes. Two different magical light was coming out of two different eye socket making them too dark to see or impossible to look at. Her hairs started to fly around like a wind blowing under them. Few seconds later not just her eyes but her entire body was impossible to see. She was so bright too look at but also too dark to see. White magic's warm and fuzzy feeling coming out of her body as well as dreaded feeling of the dark magic.

"Enough!" Regina ordered. She was frustrated. She hoped to see a limit to her powers, so she would know how to handle her if things got out of control but that thought died away the minute Emma, the new Dark One, started showing off with her powers.

Energy surrounding Emma slowly died out. And she collapsed on one of her knees. She throw her threatening looks to anyone who offers a hand.

"Enough of this." Snow said. "It's getting late and I want to go home. Regina?" she reach out for the dagger.

"Are you serious" she wispered "do you really want to take her home with you?"

"She is our daughter" Prince Charming said like that makes it okay. "And we're taking her home. Even if she doesn't remember that."

"Fine" Regina said and handed over the dagger to David.

"Blue..." Snow said.

"You want me to make a memory potion for her?" Blue asked to her.

Snow smiled greatefully.

"That might not be the best idea." Dr. Hopper whispered to Snow's ear. He was whispering for Henry's account. Emma doesn't even seem to listen. "We don't know if she fully remembers those 'painfull' sessions or not. It might do more bad than good."

"We'll think about it." Snow said to Jimminy.

"Let's go home Emma..." David said. Emma didn't even moved a muscle. David repated the order to the dagger with a painful look in his eyes. "Let's go home Emma."

Suddenly "If you were in another realm how did you get here?" Henry asked to her Dark mother. Every one paused for a moment and looked at them. Regina can't believe she didn't think to ask her that. They thought all the portals were destroyed after her Dark Curse.

Emma stood there and answered "I teleported."

* * *

After the Granny's Regina took Henry to her house. Henry wanted to stay with her dark mother, or maybe darker mother, but when he saw he doesn't have the Killian's, Charming family's support to back him up he didn't put much of a fight.

Unlike Henry, Killian came home with them and they didn't try to stop him. They had a feeling like he would sleep at their door or climb inside the window even if they try to send him. But when he asked for the daggar their looks warned him against pushing his luck.

That night at home Snow and David decided to use the dagger in turns. Using it wasn't only distasteful it was also tiring. Emma wasn't doing anything until she's told. That makes easy things like climbing stairs a torture. If she doesn't have a blank face they would have thought she was doing it on purpose just to torment them. But the truth was more disturbing. She doesn't think about anything or seem to understand why she's doing what's she doing. Simple joys and actions of life lost their meaning for her. Snow wondered how long was she going to stand before the door before she told her, no not told, ordered her to come inside. She was going to stay there like a statue until somone ordered her to move? Or would she eventually act on her needs in the end? Snow didn't want to take that bet. She feared that she already knew to answer to that.

After getting inside home things manage to get more bleak. When they realized how skinny she looks David made her a sandvich and 'told' her to eat. She just sat there trying to understand what expected of her without touching the sandvich. She started to eat only after seeing them biting their foods. She was almost like mimicing them. Snow couldn't help herself and started crying again. What the hell did that Dark One do to their daughter?

Tension only rised when Snow tried to change her clothes. She grabbed her hand and stopped her. They didn't want to use the dagger for this. It seemed offensive. Not that Emma would mind. So they tried to convince her to change. They might as well try to convince to sun not to rise. When they couldn't even get her to take out her coat they finally gave up.

When they told her to rest she sit on the floor on a meditating position, closed her eyes and used her magic to move the small objects around herself. Books, cups, plates, spoones, knives, forks and vases started to flying around her body. But not one object ever hit to one another, to a wall or to them. Like she never closed her eyes.

* * *

When they wake up at next morning Emma was still sitting on her corner where they left her. Objects were still whirling around her head. It appears that when she was ordered to rest she didn't even try to do anything else but that.

Regina and Henry knocked on their door bright and early them spend the rest of the day with them discussing how to get through to Emma. Henry even brought his story book with him hoping to jog his mother's memories.

All of the town folk came to visit their ex-Savior with gifts and flowers. But none other than Belle and Blue Fairy stay long. When ever someone try to approach to her Emma was wreacking their nerves with one look with her pure black eyes. Belle was sharing what she found about Merlin which was mostly big chunk of nothing. Blue Fairy updating them about memory potion.

When holding the book had no effect on her Henry decided to read her stories from the book like he did to David when he was in a coma. At least Emma wasn't entirely without reaction towards the boy. She finally put the objects down gently, opened her eyes and looked at him. But it was impossible to tell if she was even listening.

One by one they all sit front of her on the ground and talked to her for a while. Talked about past adventures and such but she was still looking at them like strangers. Sure they can always order her to talk or make conversation but what's the point of that. They eventually gave a break for a few minutes.

When Snow White saw the objects around the house started to vibrate with magical energy she act quickly and ordered her not to do so. And then told her to do what ever she want inside the house with the exeption of hurting someone. Even being have to add that last part was a torture to her parents. Having nothing else to do, Emma continued to sit there.

That evening when Snow White was cooking meat Regina was talking to her.

"And book worm still couldn't find anything about that so called great Magician?" Regina asked.

Despite the circumstences Snow can't help but laughed at Regina's choice of words. "Belle is trying but I'm beginning to think there is nothing to find." Snow replied.

When Emma walk past Regina and get close to her mother they both jumped in panic. They didn't even hear her moving! Regina quickly readied herself for battle but didn't do anything. Snow looked very exited to see her daughter move about the house rather then sitting there like a plant. Then Emma raised her hand like she wants to reach out to her mother. Tears of joy was starting to roll down Snow's cheeks. And then Emma pushed her out of the way and start eating newly cooked meat with her bare hands.

"Emma stop!" Regina yelled to Emma. She feared for her to get hurt because of the hot oil and meat but she didn't had the dagger so Emma didn't bother to listen. She also looked like that she wasn't feeling any kind of pain.

Snow got back on her feets and looked at her daughter with wide open eyes. "David!" she yelled. Hook, David and Henry came running and stunned for a minute because of the grizzly scene in front of them. Emma's hands were filled with burnt marks but she doesn't even seem to care. "Use the dagger!" she yelled.

David snapped out of it right before Emma puts her hand in the hot oil and he ordered her to stop.

"Henry honey don't look!" Regina said but poor buy couldn't seem to look anywhere else.

Regina tried to see extend of her wounds before healing her and tried to take of her coat.

Hook saw what is she trying to do and try to warn her "No don't!" Too late.

If earlier today Snow didn't ordered Emma to not to hurt anyone there would be a pile of ash where Regina was sitting right know. But because of ordered not to do so Emma get away by disappearing inside a gray cloud.

They were all staring at the point she was at just a second ago with a shock on their faces.

"Wh-Where did she go?" Henry asked.

"Bloody hell! Not to another realm is it?" Hook asked with panic.

"I don't think so" Regina said "Even she couldn't do that without resting and collecting her power." Those empty words were just guesses but they seemed to have calmed the others. "Henry I want you to stay here in case she shows up." Deep down she knew Emma wouldn't come back or Regina would never left Henry alone here.

Regina tried to cast a locator spell on one of Emma's clothes from her wardrobe but it didn't do any good. Regina expected this much. The person she was had nothing to do with person she is now. ' _Or'_ she thought ' _you were wrong and she is in god knows which realm right know!'_ Then she tried to use the spell on the dagger.

A minute later they were running after the flying dagger on the streats. Dagger stopped on the middle of it's flight and started to turn left and right like it couldn't decide which way to go. When they looked across the streat they quickly understand the reason of that confusuion. Gold's Shop was there. Then Regine pushed the dagger with magic towards other direction. They fallowed the dagger into the woods then they saw a cave. Which was a familiar sight for Regina.

"That was the Snow Bitch Ingrid's cave!" Regina said. She almost didn't recognize it because of the lack of snow.

They didn't want to wait long and run inside and there she was sitting on the middle of the cave. Emma was sitting in a meditating position with her back turned towards them. As they slowly approached her they saw and smell something very wrong. And when they looked at her again they saw her hands were covered in blood. Snow bravely stepped forward and others followed her. Regina keep the dagger at the ready just in case.

"Emma?" Snow said. One minute she was trying to put a reassuring smile on her face the other she was puking all over the ground. Thanks to Regina, Snow was used to seeing dead bodies but nothing prepered her for that. And others hesitate to come any closer because of her reaction. But their cruosity get the best of them. Even the Pirate and Evil Queen seemed disturbed by the scene.

If front of Emma there was a deformed shape that used to be a man. Emma had first skinned him alive and then like that wasn't enough she also ripped his limbs out one by one. She obviously kept the men alive during entire process with her magic. They know because he was still breathing on the ground right in front of them. His blood was all over the place. Even on Emma's face which by the way they have no intention of finding out how it got there.

Only his head was untouched. And they all knew him. His name is or was Sidney Glass. He was Regina's magic mirror before he betrayed them to the Snow Queen. He was begging Emma to kill him but she was looking at him with a calm, calculated face while keep whispering the same thing over and over with a frighteningly steady voice. "Mirror, mirror, show me who I want to kill most."

"Kill me! Please!" Sidney begged.

"Okay." she complied like he asked for a glass of water then put her hand on his mouth and nose and start squeezing.

"Emma!" David yelled at her. His face was white as chalk because of the scene.

Emma interrupted his fathers words with a shush and put her bloody finger on her mouth. "Don't make a noise I'm trying to put him to sleep." She turned her gaze towards Sidney. "You've been a bad boy didn't you?" Before they could stop her she finished her terrorizing work. Sidney Glass was no longer among the living. "Sleep now."

"Emma what did you do?" Hook asked. "This isn't you! It can't be you! The bloody darkness put you up to this isn't it?" Tears were flowing down from his eyes.

"Emma? How could you do that? Didn't we ordered you not to hurt anyone?" David asked to Emma. Snow still couldn't get over the scene she saw and still was on the ground. Regina go over to her to try to calm her down but she looked like something struggling in her mind.

"In the house." Emma replied.

"What? What's in the house?" David asked while trying to ignore the scene front of him and stay calm.

"You said not to hurt anyone in the house." Emma replied.

"She found a bloody loophole." Killian said.

Then they all realized how much danger they are in right now and they're all frozen like the Snow Queen's ice sculptures once stood in this very clearing because of the sudden realization. If Emma were still under whatever that put her up to killing Sidney Glass when they arrived they were probably be dead by now. They slowly backed away and used the dagger to command her to teleport them all to the house. When they were all dying to get away from the scene and smell teleportation looked like a great idea even if it was the same thing that got them into trouble. But they forget one thing. Henry was in the house waiting for their return...

Kid throw up as soon as he saw his birth mother, who looks oblivious to the blood on her clothes and face. To make things worst she was still talking to an invisible mirror.

"Wh-What happened?" He asked "Whose blood is that? Are you guys okay?

Before any of them can answer Emma looked at the boy shushed again with the bloody finger on her mouth.

That cancelled to need to send the boy away as he runs away to the bathroom to throw up again.

After Henry's out Snow ordered Emma to go to the bathroom. Even though she had enough disturbing scenes for today Regina didn't want to left her alone with Emma and she followed them. After all she still had something to ask to her. Snow and Regina tried to convince her to get undresed but when she refused she left them no choice but the order her exactly that.

After seeing what Emma did to Sidney Glass, Regina and Snow was thinking nothing can disturb them ever again... They were wrong. Emma take of her coat and revealed the black tank top she was wearing under that. But that wasn't all she revealed to them. They were scars all over her skin. Burnt marks, whip marks cuts and bite marks of large animals. They were all covering her entire body. There was not a single point that wasn't covered by scars.

Regina and now couldn't help themselves screamed in shock and started crying. Hook and David came running and their jaw dropped becouse of the state she's in.

They managed the send Henry away and spare the child from further childhood trauma.

Emma's reactions, or lack thereof, was again the most disturbing thing on the scene. She was still getting undressed as ordered without caring to company or their reactions to her severely scarred body. As it turns out her entire body was scarred exept for her hands, feets and her head. No wonder she didn't even care about how hot the meat was. When she take of her bra they saw at least one familiar thing. Her swan necklace.

They sent the boys out to take care of Henry and then they started to clean Emma top to bottom.

While they do that Regina finally asked "How did you find him Emma? How did you find Sidney?" She was looking for him since the day she betrayed her but his magic mirror alwasys eluded her. And then Emma found him just like that.

"I saw his aura. I-I sensed a similarity..." she answered. This is the first the she looked confused.

"You sensed his dark heart didn't you?" asked Regina.

"Yes. Like yours and... and mine." she said. "Now he can't hurt anyone." Then she looked at Snow and added "Like he did to your father."

Snow and Regina looked each other in shock.

"Do you remember?" Snow asked to her daughter.

But she didn't answer to them. Not today nor any other day after that.

* * *

And a week almost passed without incidents. Almost. After the horrible events that leads to Sidney Glass's death Emma was given strict orders about not using magic or violence in or out of the house. She almost looked like pounding for a while after that. But that would require feelings Emma doesn't have.

On the third day Blue Fairy brought them the memory potion. Upon Dr. Hoppers advice and seeing her daughter's scars Charming and Snow decided to keep it for now.

While thinking if they had it sooner if it could prevent the gruesome murder suddenly a question she never asked accured to Snow White. And she asked Regina what happened to the body. Much to her suprise she said Maleficent and her daughter Lilith took care of it. Appereantly their hatred for Snow and Charming doesn't extend to Emma since she brought them back together.

On the fourth and fifth day Emma show signs of getting better. She doesn't sit still all day any longer. She was changing her clothes regularly, even if they're clean. she bathes regularly and she was sitting with them during dinners even if she doesn't talk or eat. At the very least she doesn't do anything to hurt herself or the others.

At sixth day she asked Regina a dazzling question.

"Little human calls you mother." the tone she used told Regina this was a question.

"Yes. I'm her mother." said Regina she looked surprised as the rest of the house. It wasn't the question that surprised them, it was the Emma's speaking without needing an order to do so.

"He calls me mother too." she said with a questioning tone.

Regina confirmed with her head. She was wondering where she was going with this.

"So are we married?"

Question caught Regina by surprise and she fell backwards with her stool.

Later that day they decide to take a chance with Emma and ordered her to help people in need. Maybe this way, they thought, she can find out who she was on her own. Without magic of course. But Emma didn't go outside and they didn't push her to do so.

On the seventh day while they were all at the house Geppetto came by to fix a cabinet door in the bathroom. While doing that something fell out of the cabinet and hit Henry's head.

"Sorry Henry." said Geppetto

"It's okay." Henry smiled. "It didn't hurt."

Emma decided that Henry is one of those 'people in need' and got up. She walked towards them and get past Henry. Eager to 'help' without her magic she wrapped her hands around the old man's head and snapped his neck like a twig...

Henry coudn't stop screaming.

Later that night they all gathered at the kitchen. After much discussion a tearful Snow White ordered her daugter to drink the memory potion.

* * *

After drinking the potion Emma looked at her family and friends with a smile and a single drop of tear rolled down his cheek.

"Mom? Dad?" she asked. with a cracked voice. They smiled back at her then hugs came right after along with the joyful tears.

"Is that really you mom?" Henry asked.

"Yes kid. It's me" Emma answered. Her voice was coming out of like she is so tired. She reached out to her son hoping to get a hug.

Henry hesitated for a second. After all he jut saw her mother kill a man, a man he called friend, with her barehands just few hours ago. Then he run over to her and hugged her mother.

"It's good the see you back miss Swan" Regina whispered. She was trying to act ceremonial but she couldn't help but smile at her friend.

"Aye. You're a sight for sore eyes, love."

"Thank you. Thank you for bringing me back..." Then she suddenly started to scream in pain. She put her one hand to the counter and other one to the problemetic area on her body. She was almost collapsed to the ground. Her hands reached down to his belly and she pulled her white jersey up to see what's wrong. She didn't seem to surprised to see her scars. Everyting looked normal... well exept for the excruciating pain. Then the pain hit her again but not just her belly this time but to her entire body. She didn't even realized she is on the ground, shaking and screaming.

Other looked at her in panic. They didn't know how to help her. So they decided to carry Emma to her bed. She didn't go quietly and she scratched them all in various places. They tried to talk to her but they couldn't get a response.

"Regina do something please!" Snow White pleaded.

"I-I'll try" Ragina replied. Then she tried to sooth her pain with her magic. Even though her more fresh wounds disappeared there is still a lot of scars in her body. And she was screaming even more. "It doesn't help!" Regina said desperetely. "She won't survive this. I have to take her heart out."

Charming family's lack of reaction to this terrible idea was an example to how desperate they really are. They gave a 'go ahead' to her with their head.

"Hold her down!" yelled Regina. And after they did as they told she reached out and grabbed her heart. Emma doesn't look avare of to the fact that there is a hand in her chest. Regina didn't want her to damage the heart with all her tumbling so she ripped her heart out without wasting time to be gentle.

They were all looking at her heart right now. They were half expecting to see a black heart like Gold's but that wasn't the case. Emma's strong beating heart was still bright red and there was not a single darkness in or around it. They were relieved to see that but also confused.

Emma's screams didn't stop but lessened. At least she seem to be able breath easily right now. When Regina get up with her heart in her hands Emma grabbed her wrist and whispered "Thank you..." then she passed out.

Her sleep didn't last long and it certeinly wasn't a peaceful one. Nightmere invaded her dreams then she woke up screaming and the pain was still there. Snow and David was sleeping on a couch near her bed. She turned her head around to see Hook looking at her.

"Are you feeling okay, love?" Killian whispered "You gave us quite a scare."

"Sorry" Emma said. She wanted to speak more but she was feeling so tired.

"What happened? What was that?" Hook asked while caressing her once bright yellow but know dark hair. "You remembered something didn't you?"

"Pain." Emma answered. "I remembered the pain."

"What pain?" Killian asked. He looked worried. "These horrid scars looks old. Are you hurt love?"

"No. Not like that." Emma answered. "Not a specific one. I remembered the feeling of pain. It was one of the things 'it' made me forget. And it's all coming back."

 _'It.' 'She was referring to the bloody Dark One again.'_ Killian thought to himself while grinding his teeth with anger. "Making someone forget the feeling of pain? How powerful is that bloody thing?" Hook asked.

Emma was looking tired but she tried to explain anyway. Anything was better then to left alone with the pain. "It's stronger in it's native realm. I don't think it can do it here." Her sound almost came out like she's regreting to remember. Almost.

"But what about the other things you do? Teleporting across bloody realms? Rumplestiltskin wasn't able to do that."

"Rumplestiltskin wasn't a magician. He only borrowed Dark One's powers. But I on the other hand already had my own powers. 'Strong in magic', that's what Regina told me before all that." After remembering a past conversation with her friend Emma paused for a moment. She looked like she got lost in thoughts and Killian heard her whispering to herself "Almost powerful enough to break free"

 _'Break free of what? Dark One or the dagger?'_ Killian thought to himself.

Emma continued "When commanding both my own and the Dark One's powers, teleportation to another realm is just a matter of my will." There was no bragging in her voice, or any sign proud with her abilities. She was just talking about crossing realms at will like crossing a border with her car.

"Why did Regina is so surprised when she heard you can use both light and dark magic?" Not that Killian really cared about magic but he only wanted to keep hearing her voice and it doesn't look like it's the right time for a more heart to heart conversation. And Emma was greateful for that.

"It cannot be done." Emma answered almost automatically.

That answer confused Killian. "But Regina can do that do. We saw her using light magic against Zelena."

"Yes Regina can use both but never at the same time like I can. She was evil for how many years? Too long. But then her ability to love put her back to the path of light. But just because you choose to be good, past doesn't erase itself. That's what makes her unique in her own way. That's why she can use both."

"And the same goes for you too?" Hook asked.

"True." Emma said "I might be the Dark One now but that doesn't change the fact that I'm a product of True Love." Emma involuntarily yawned and her eyes suddenly closed again then before she can help it she fall into sleep.

Hook put a kiss on her forehead and smiled. "Sleep well my Swan" he whispered "I'll guard your sleep."

* * *

Following days passed rather uneventful. Emma's pain was still there but it was fading away. After a few days Regina even put her heart back. She still wasn't exactly acting like her old self but that much was expected. At least they don't have to order her everything right now or worry about she's going to kill someone when ever she get the chance. Emma herself said, she still couldn't believe she killed the gentle old man Geppetto. On the other she obviously didn't see Sidney Glass worth mentioning. It's almost like she thinks he get what he deserved. She was talking so matter of fact about that horrible events that leads them to one conclusion: They weren't her first victims.

One day Belle came by to talk about his research on Merlin. Emma was sitting right next to her motionless. She was still freezing out time to time and became unavare to her surroundings.

"So I was still searching about Merlin..." Belle said to them but she didn't get the chance to finish her sentence.

When Bell mentioned the Sorcerer's name Emma got up faster then a human can see with murder in her eyes. Sudden and deadly reaction caught them all of guard. Then she grabbed Belle by the neck, lifted her up, pushed her into a wall with one hand and start choking her. Appearently she was inhumanly fast and strong.

"Emma!" they yelled at once.

"Stop it you're killing her!" begged Henry.

"Dagger! Use the bloody dagger!" Hook yelled.

Snow and David looked each other in panic. In last few days they didn't needed to use it that much so they didn't exactly know where they put it.

Regina couldn't dare to use her magic. It could easily escalate the situation and push Emma to use voilence.

"Where?" she asked with a voice that unfamiliar to all of them "Where is he?" she started to radiate that horrible dark aura again. Emma was showing her teeths like she wants to rip Belle's throat out.

"I-I don't know." Belle said berely breathing. "E-Emma please."

Then Emma suddenly released the women. She was looking at her hands in shock like she couldn't believe what she did. "I'm sorry" she said again and again. She looked really sorry. "I'm sorry Belle. I don't know what came over me. Sorry"

"It's okay." Belle said still holding her neck. "I'm okay." she said and bravely managed to put a smile on her cute face.

"I-I think I shouldn't be around while you guys talk about that pompous bastard." Emma didn't realized that she mentioned the sorcerer like she knows him but others did. But they didn't stoped her so she went to her bed.

"Belle are you okay?" Snow asked. They were all look shaken.

"I'll be." Belle said to Snow while looking after Emma with sad eyes. "It's not me we should be worrying about." Then she whispered "we need to find that sorcerer and fast. She looks even worst then Rumple!"

"Thanks for stating the obvious." Regina said "But If you still couldn't find anything in your research how are we supposed to find him? Click our heels three time and wish to go to Camelot?"

"Actually I was thinking of Arendelle..." Belle answered "We need to talk to the Rock Trolls. If anyone know where he is it's them." then she told them about her little advanture to Arendelle and how they had answer her prayers. Then after a small pause she added "You might want to talk the apprentice too." They all looked at her with shock.

"Is he awake?" Snow asked.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" David asked.

"Why didn't you bring him here?" Hook asked.

"Yes he awake for several days now." Belle answered to Snow "I've been since trying to convince him to come and see her but he doesn't want to."

"I'll bring the bastard here even If I have to kidnap him!" Hook said angrily then got up and left.

Regina sighed "I better go after him before he manage the convince Apprentice to turn himself into a three legged toad." and then she left.

Next few days passed rather quickly while they're preparing for their journey to Arendelle. Everyone packed their stuffş put their bows and swords near the door. Only thing Emma did was changing her clothes with the ones she arrived here. Every they Snow, Charming, Hook, Regina, Belle and Henry go out to try convincing the Apprentice to talk to Emma and every day they failed. After a few futile attempt they finally succeded to convince him.

Apprentice came to their home the night before their journey to Arendelle begin. With Lilith.

Emma was sitting on the ground meditating for the journey and her back was turned to them. But as soon as they walked in from the thresh hold she opened her eyes and spoke witout looking at them. "You!"

"Hi Emma." Lily said to her. When Emma knew who they were without even looking she looked nervous like the rest of the people in the house, exept for Apprentice. She thought Emma was talking to her.

But Apprentice seems to know better. "Yes. It's me." He answered.

"So that's how she learned about stories." Emma said. "Did you told her to kill my parents?"

"What? No, of course not." he said then turn his gaze towards Lily. Girl looked ashamed.

"So you claim. But you are here to kill me aren't you?" Emma asked.

"No. I'm here to help to poor soul you possesed."

Emma laughed but that was neither a joyful nor a cheerful laugh. It was a cold and sadistic laugh that send chills to their bones. Emma got up and turn around to face the Apprentice. "Like you helped _her_?" she asked.

"Don't talk to him like that!" Lily yelled but before she can continue Apprentice put his hands on her shulder.

"Hush child. _It's_ not talking to you." Apprentice said to Lily. Then turned to Emma and said "Don't assume you know me fiend!"

Then Emma opened her mouth and spoke with two different voices. One of them was her voice. It was the other one that scared to hell out of them. That one was echoing along side with her normal voice and it almost sounded like inhuman but most definitely demonic " _We know you better than you think! We know your 'inside'"_ And Emma laughed again. Dark One was referring to the time it almost consumed the Apprentice, before Emma Swan saved him. _"Tell me did you really have to kill her?"_

Whatever ' _it'_ was talking about was the last straw for the Apprentice "Enough!" he yelled and hit his staff to the ground sending out a wave of white magical light.

When light hit to Emma she screamed and fall on her knees. She quickly got up but still looking around like she was dizzy. Nevertheless Apprentice look shocked to see her recover that quick.

"Is that all old man?" Emma challenged the Apprentice even though she look a little exausted. She was talking with her own voice again. What ever the Apprentice did, it did send that other voice the where it came from. Apprentice must be holding more power then he let's on. Emma started to walk towards the Apprentice.

"Enough Emma! Stop right now!" David ordered with the dagger.

Emma tried to resist but no avail. She stopped for a second then growled with anger. Her body start to twitching and shaking. She was trying to break free from the dagger's infuluence. But she was not alone. Dagger was dancing inside David's hand like it wants to get free as much as Emma. Then David let out a small painfull scream and dropped the dagger. His hand was burnt and there was smoke coming out of his palm. Any other Dark One with it's right mind would go after the dagger for their freedom but Emma was far from that right now. Even so she used her magic to knock out her friends and family. She didn't want anyone to interrupt while she deals with the Apprentice.

Lily put herself between Emma and Apprentice and pleaded "Stop Emma please!" when that didn't work she got ready to fight. Her eyes started to glow bright yellow.

"Out of my way, overgrown lizard!" Emma yelled at her and tried to used her magic on Lily. Because of her 'other form' Lily was actually quite resillient against magical attacks so Emma had to put some extra effort to cast a spell on her. She throwed her out of the window with a single, large, over charged magical blast that she cast out from both of her hands. Then she kept moving towards the Apprentice

Apprentice try to hit her with a white fire created with light magic. Emma created a barrier with her own light magic that easily absorbed the fire. When he saw what she did, or to be more specific, which power she used to do what she did, Apprentice looked scared for the first time. "Can't be!" he said with wide opened eyes.

"Oh, but it has!" Emma said with a frightening look on her face and took the man's staff from his hand. With her empty hand she grabbed him and lifted him up like she did to Belle. _"Say hi to your sister for us!"_ she said with her double voice than used his own staff to impale the man to the wall. Apprentice's body twitched for a few seconds and after that blood start to coming out of his mouth. Emma just stood there and watch him die with a cruel smile on her face.

After her horrifying work was done Emma look around the house and saw the dagger. She walked by passed out Regina, Hook, Henry, Snow and Charming and took it. She was going to need her freedom for what comes next. By the roaring sounds that coming out of the window, Lilith must survive her fall and she was looking for blood.

While her family was waking up, she looked at the dagger and decided that it was too much of a risk to carry it around. When she opened her palm and was about start using her magic, Regina tried to stop her with her own powers but Emma quickly raised a shield around herself. It wasn't that strong of a shield but she doesn't need it for long so it should suit her needs. Then she started to cast her spell on the dagger.

By the time she started her spell, they were all awake, paunding on her shield with their fists and trying to convince her not to do whatever she was doing. While dagger was spinning on her palm the they felt a small shake on the ground. Some of the small shards of broken window floated for a few seconds. After that lights flickered and a small wind followed.

Regina recognized the signs and paniced. She was constanly trying to blow up the gray colored damnable shield with her magic since the moment she got up on her feets without success. It was absorbing both her dark and light magic. Then she understood. Emma was not only able to use both magic source but she can also combine them, hence the gray color. She thought about trying to use both herself but by then it was too late. Dagger was gone.

"What did you do?" Snow White asked to Emma with panic.

Instead of answering Emma turned her gaze to Regina. "You know don't you?" she asked to her.

"She send the dagger to another realm." Ragina said to Snow and others with an angry voice.

Another roar came in from broken window and "Now if you excuse me mother I have a Dragon to fight." Emma said to Snow and teleported herself to the street with a gray cloud.

Emma reappeared in the middle of the street and searched for her pain in the ass childhood friend Lily at the night sky. And then she saw Lily with all her glory in her dragon form. She was flying in circles above Emma's head. And Lily was looking at her.

Then newly Dragon and newly Dark One started to fight.

Lily dived in and let out the fearsome fire-breath on Emma. Not very original but effective.

Emma put a strong shield around her. Shield worked but she was almost cooking inside it because of the heat. Emma didn't dispelled her shield but she also didn't think she can handle another fiery pass only with her magical shield.

Lily was already coming around for another raund.

Emma telepatically put a car in the air between Lily's breath and herself. Car provided better cover... until it exploded and knocked Emma on the ground.

Luckily explosion also scared Lily and instead of continuing her attack she decided to rise up.

Emma knew this was far from over so she quickly get back up. She raised her hand and send out magical bolts from her fingers. If they weren't following their designated target Lily could easily dodge them but that was not the case. Five bolts of magic hit the dragon but did no visible damage. Dragons famous magic resistence was at work. Emma might be more successful if she throw a rock at her. _'No not rock._ ' she thought _'but maybe something bigger?'_ Emma grabbed another car and throw it to Lily. Dragon stopped in the middle of her dive to dodge it and car smashed into the motel right above Granny's Diner.

"If you don't like my cooking you could have just said so!" Granny yelled from a far.

Emma continued to throw everything around her at the dragon one by one but appearently despite being new at this, Lily was also good at being a dragon. She dodge the objects and sometimes burned them in mid air before reaching her. But because of the constant attacks she couldn't get a chance to attack Emma either. Then Emma throw two cars at the same time one to her left and one to her right wing. If Lily wasn't too low at the moment she could easily fly high to escape from them. But instead she had to turn around herself to avoid damage to her wings. Emma didn't wait her to finish her move. She magicaly ripped a wooden electrical pole from ground and send it flying like spear. Pole hit Lily right in the middle of her chest but it didn't thrust in her tough skin. Nevertheless the impact made the effect Emma was hoping for and the dragon lost it's balance, ridiculously rolled around then fall out of the sky. The impact shaked the entire town like only an earthquake can. When the dust settled Emma saw the dragon lying on her back on the ground. Then a purple smoke came out of nowhere and dragon turned in to a girl without needing a kiss from a Prince.

"What did you do to him?" Lily asked angrily. Her nose was bleeding and the huge bruise on her chest can be seen from her neckline.

"What do you think?" Emma asked. When she saw Lilith's eyes glowind she quickly added "Now before you do something stupid, like I don't know turning into a dragon again you should know I put a barrier around you. It won't stop you from changing but you most certeinly got crushed underneath if you try."

"You're bluffing." Lily said to her.

"Go ahead and try it." Emma said with a threatening voice.

After seeing the extent of Emma's powers Lily decided not to change. Emma couldn't believe she bought that. Lily bowed down her head to hide the sad expression on her face. "He was nice to me." she said to Emma.

Emma laughed. "I see. I understand really. I was a bit clingy to the first guy who showed an interest to me too. You really should be thanking me. You would probably end up pregnant in a jail cell and force the give birth or lay egg or whatever the hell you dragons do in a prison. Belive me it's no fun."

"You're a monster!"

"Said the flying lizard girl!"

"Stay the hell away from my daughter!" Maleficent yelled at Emma.

"Relax mommie dearest. I wasn't going to kill her."

"You won't?" Lily asked. She look surprised.

"Of course not! That would be a very stupid thing to do after all my efforts the bring you two back together." Then she looked at Maleficent and added "Besides what's the point of killing someone if they can be resurrected!" with a daring smile on her face. "I want you to remember this moment Lily. Think hard and wide before getting in my way again. And know this: you won't be that lucky next time."

"And the barrier?" Lily asked.

"What barrier? I don't see or sense anything." Maleficent answered with an angry voice while walking towards her daughter.

Emma looked down to Lilith and smiled.

Lily couldn't help but smiled back. "You bitch!"

Maleficent took her daughers hand and help her get up. Before they go she looked at Emma with a frightening look and spoke "If you ever lay a finger on my daughter again..."

Emma didn't think she can handle another fight but she wasn't going to back down either "As long as she doesn't try something like this again she has nothing to fear from me."

Then mother and daughter disappeared within a purple cloud. They were gone.

She sensed their auras before hearing their footsteps then turn around to see them. There they were, her family, her friend Regina and the two boy toys Robin Hood and Captain Hook running towards her. Exept for Henry they all had a little darkness in their bright white auras. Boy's aura was made of pure light. Regina's aura surprised her as always. Light and Dark struggling around her body, trying to get the upper hand, fiercely whirling around her like a tornado which also looked very appropriate with her short temper.

People start coming out of their houses all around the town to see what happened. Looks like Emma and Lily manage to wake the entire town with the ruckus they made.

"Mom!" Henry yelled.

Emma look up to the Clock Tower and saw it was almost midnight and turn to Henry "Henry! Shouldn't you in bed kid?" She asked then snapped her fingers.

"Mother stop this mad-" Henry disappeared in a gray cloud before finishing his sentence.

* * *

-ness please!" Henry plead then when the gray cloud disappeared he found himself in his bed. With his pajamas no less! "What the...?"

* * *

"What the hell did you do to him?" Regina asked. Her angry voice was making a complete contradiction with the panic in her eyes.

"Why, I send him to bed of course!" Emma answered like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Then without a warning she got hit by a magical wave that almost resembles to she uses. Dark and Light combined together. She turned around and saw the fairies led by Blue Fairy, who was holding the Dark Fairy's wand. They manage to sneak up on her by concealing their auras. "You clever little bugs!" she said then turn to his mother "You brought back up did you? You were always smart."

"You left me no choice Emma." Snow said to her.

Emma tried to use her magic on fairies but she couldn't do that. Her magic backfired and she fall on her knees. They somehow blocked her powers.

"Stop trying to fight Emma. You'll only hurt yourself." Blue said "Now, where is the dagger?"

"Gone." Emma laughed. "I sent it to another realm."

"Search her." Blue commanded. When the fairies came back empty handed she look frustrated.

Emma laughed again "Did you really think I would carry it with me? It's in a place that only I can find."

"Then you left us no choice. Regina? Would you mind taking her heart please?"

Regina didn't even ask for her families permission and Snow and David didn't even bother to argue against it. That alone showed how much they fear of her. Regina stepped forward, thrust her hand in Emma's chest and tried the take out her heart. It was like trying to lift a mountain with one hand tied behind her back. Exept for the fact that she might eventually be succeed in lifting that mountain but still couldn't manage to rip Emma's heart out.

Emma stand up and "Did you really think I would let you do that to me again? That you could caught me of guard twice?" she asked angrily. _"We will not be controlled!"_ she yelled with two voices. She tried to break free of the fairies hold with her magic. If magical attacks made noise they would all be hearing the sound of a huge gong right now.

All the fairies, exept for Blue, fall on their knees because of the power of her attack. "Hold your grounds!" Blue ordered, she was breathing heavily.

Emma's sudden attack didn't left her unscratched, it backfired and she collapsed on her hands and knees in agony.

Regina wanted to help and tried to hold on to both magic source. An unbeareble pain coursed through her body and she was almost going to pass out. Does Emma feel that pain everytime she uses her magic? Even though she now remembers the feeling of 'pain', the torture sessions to make her obedient must have made her pain threshold sky high. There was no other explanation.

Emma was looking spent and beaten but fairies were still holding on to their magic barrier to be sure. However they can't keep this up forever so something must be done quickly before they got tired.

After much discussion they finally decided to put Peter Pan's invention, the magic cuffs on her wrists. These cuffs doesn't make her obedient like the dagger or a heart but they will do the next best thing: block her magical abilities, like the ones Regina used on Zelena, Wicked Witch of the West.

* * *

When the show is over and crowed is scattered they started to walk to their homes. To their surprise Emma wasn't fighting back. It was obvious that she saw being handcuffed as an improvement by comperison to the being controlled with a dagger or her heart.

When they finally get home late at night Regina run straight to upstairs to check on Henry. Dwarves were there trying to get the Apprentice's stuff and his body out of the wall. When they saw Emma they unintentionally take a few step backwards. Emma walked over there and despite being handcuffed she manage to pull the staff out of the wall with her first try. She gave the staff to Leroy then she turned around and walked away without even giving a damn about the corpse of the man she killed few hours ago.

"What did you do to our cars sister? I never saw Happy this unhappy before! Not even your mother broke his favorite mug!" Leroy said to Emma. Grumpy was trying to keep on a brave face for the sake of his brothers. "Is that the way to treat a fellow townsfolk?"

"Would you rather get impaled to a the wall?" Emma asked with a cruel smirk. "Besides I didn't destroy all the cars. Mine is still intact." Her threats doesn't even surpise anyone anymore. Well exept the ones she carried out.

"What a lucky coincidence!" Leroy said angrily. His disgust towards Emma can be read though his face. "Come on boys! Off to work we go!" he said to his friends. They grabbed the Apprentice's body and left in a hurry.

"How's Henry?" Snow asked to Regina when she came downstairs.

"Traumatized!" she said angrily. She was looking at Emma like she wants to slap her around.

Because of today's events they decide to go Arendelle as soon as possible. So they all stayed at the Charmings house that night. After seeing how deadly she was even without her magic Regina put a magical wall between them and Emma but they still didn't want to sleep anywhere near her.

They all got up at dawn and made their final preperations for the journey. After much discussion and fight Henry finally agree to stay behind. They left Neal and Henry with Belle while Robin had to stay for Roland. The damage Emma and Lily done looked even worst in the morning. Cracked windows, blown up or upside down cars, burned and damaged buildings were everywhere they look.

When they saw David's truck as a heap of metal "I can teleport us to Arendelle you know." Emma said to them. "All you had to do is take off.."

"No! They yelled at the same time.

Emma sighed "Ah. A girl can hope."

They decided took Emma's car, or as Regina put it, her deathtrap. It was a small car so Regina, Snow and Hook had to squuze in at the back. and David drive them to Lakeside Mansion where a portal to Arendelle awaits.

* * *

They stepped out of the portal into a lush forest and they look up to see the Arendelle Castle's towers . It was only two or maybe three days of walk from where they are. But before they close the door some one jumped in after them!

"Henry!" Regina yelled. "What are you doing here you're not coming with us! It could be dangerous!"

"She's my mother of course I'll come!" Henry answered with a stubborn expression on his face. This was one of the things he inherited from Emma. "If you try to send me back I'll do it again after you're gone and come after you anyway!"

Snow, David, Hook and Regina looked at him with compassionate smiles.

"It's okay Regina we can protect him." Snow said to Regina.

"We are not going to stay long here anyway." David added. "Arendelle Castle is not far from here. And I'm sure someone there can point us to the Valley of the Living Rock."

"Aye." Hook said. "If lad wants to help his mother we shouldn't deny him from that."

"Alright alright I get it!" Regina said to them and turned to Henry. "Okay Henry you're coming with us." Kid smiled and face started to glow with expectation. "But you'll do as we say!" Regina said to him. She was having a hard time keeping her voice and face serious while watching his beloved boy jumping around with joy.

Emma kept looking at the castle during the entire conversation. "If your touching reunion is over maybe you should want to take a look at our newest problem."

"What are you talking about?" Snow asked to her daughter.

"Look at the castle. Don't you see?" Emma asked. Then she turned his back to the castle and start looking into forest. She sensed a whole lot of people behind them.

"My god!" David said with widened eyes. "Is it on fire?"

"Maybe we should go back!" Regina said. It was obvious that she was only worrying about Henry's safety.

"It's too late." Emma said to them. "We're surrounded." She finally saw them. They were soldiers who is wearing the amblem of the Southern Islands on their black armor and they were getting ready to attack. They were at least a dozen of them but she sensed that a lot more them were on their way.

While her companions getting ready to fight Emma pondered about letting them die so she could get free but when the first arrows start to fly she found herself pushing Hook out of the way and shielding Henry with her body. When push comes to shove she realized that she can't just let her family die. But if they stay here and try to fight, that was exactly what's going to happen.

"Go!" she yelled at them "More of them on the way! Go! I'll join you later."

Her companions knocked out a few guards between them and the way to the castle then they disappeared into the forest. In the meanwhile Emma stayed back and attack to soldiers. She tried to dodge a few crossbow bolts. Not that they could kill her but it was more of a matter of principle. Then she quickly closed the gap between the soldiers and herself.

* * *

They ran into the forest in Snow's lead. She spent a lot of time in the forrests during her fugitive years and those skills were coming very handy right now. After a few missed crossbow bolts stuck in near by trees she started to running in zigzags so they will be no easy targets. Snow was also trying to step on stones and other hard objects that doesn't leave footprints behind, in case anyone try to track them down, while others were trying to follow her exact steps.

After a while they started to hear fighting sounds behind them. Commotion getting louder and louder by the second. Few saconds later screams of dying soldiers started to reach and haunt them. After a few short moments, that felt like a life time, fighting sounds finally stopped. They heard a few mans begging for their lives, claiming the have a family, but following screams told them there was no place for mercy in Dark One's heart. They can't help but feel guilty. They practicaly set loose the unkilleble Dark One on those poor soldiers so they can run away with their lives.

When Emma finally found them in the forest they realized that her skin tone was changed to a golden color and it was shimmering under the sun. For Henry and Emma that was a very strenge color. But for inhabitants of other realms her skin looks exactly like Rumpelstiltskin's skin before the curse. Her hair was also turned into a white color instead of keeping it's original black.

Emma was covered in blood head to too. Even her new white hairs and the large part of her golden face. There was four crossbow bolts in her body. Three in her chest and one in the back. She was breathing heavily "They're all dead" she said to them in the mean time she was trying to pull out the bolts from her chest but cuffs doesn't make it easy on her. "But we should go, more of them are coming." She managed to pull out the one bolts with a sickening voice.

"How many?" David asked.

While pulling out the second bolt "Let's just say, I think we just appeared right in the front of the reinforcements for their main army near the castle." Emma said with a painfull voice.

"Great so we stuck between two armies! And you left them a blood trail leading right back to us didn't you?" Regina asked.

"They won't come after us right away." Emma said to her. Then she pulled out the last bolt from her chest.

"Why?" Snow asked.

"They will suspect, that carnage is a forest monster's handiwork at first." She said while trying to reach to arrow on her back, but it was out of her reach. "At least I hope so. I put a lot of effort to make it look like one." While busy trying to get a hold off the last bolt she didn't notice the shock on their faces then she looked at Hook and asked "Would you mind giving me 'a' hand handsome?" Then she looked at his hook and added. "Not that you can give more than one even if I wanted to."

Even though he look a little hurt Killian walked over to her back. "With pleasure, love." He said then pulled the last bolt out of her body.

"Easy on the spine tough guy!" Emma said with a painfull expression. "I still need that, you know."

 _'Maybe a monster really did killed them.'_ Snow thought to herself. Then she forced herself to snap out of it. She can't afford to think like that. She had to belive her daughter was still in there somewhere and that they can still save her.

"Anyway, I wouldn't dally for long though." she said to them. "Eventually someone with enaugh brain will find the blood and foot trail I left behind." When she saw Regina's angry looks towards herself she shurgged her shoulders and added "What can I say. It's kind of hard to concentrate about where you step while arrows sticking out of your body."

After that conversation they walked silently until nightfall. They would've walk even more if they can but it was too damn dark to see anyting inside the forest. So they start to search for a camping site. They eventually found themselves near a river which was perfect for their needs.

Emma didn't mind a little blood on herself but she really got tired of the looks they gave her, so she decide to bathe in the river, but it was impossible to take out her coat and other clothes with cuffs on her hands. After a short but heated discussion among each other, they decided to go with Henry's bright idea. Then they all turned around and looked at Emma.

"We want to make a deal!" Snow said with a smile on her face.

Emma had no interest in making such deals like the ones that Rumpelstiltskin did but as soon as she heard the word of 'deal' she felt compelled to make a one. Before she can help it she asked her mother with the exact words that the late Dark One used: "What is it you want dearie?" They looked surprised as she was.

"We will take of your handcuffs but you will not try to run or use your magic and you'll put them back on as soon as you're done cleaning." Snow said. Regina was impetiently tapping her feet to the ground behind her, making it clear that she thought this was a terrible idea.

"What do I get out of it?" Emma asked. This deal business really was annoying.

"You get the bathe and clean." Snow said with a smile.

Emma looked at her mother with a bored expression. She was already thinking about making a deal because this was a good opportunity to test the limits of the bonding power of deals, but she didn't want them to think her as a pushover so she decide play hard to get. "I don't think so." she said to Snow White.

Snow thought it through for a moment. "Okay. You can use magic but only on yourself." Snow said and then added quickly "But no teleporting!"

"Deal." Emma said and Regina uncuffed her. Emma walked toward the river and start get undressed.

Henry saw her mother's severly scarred body for the first time . "Wh-what happened to her?" he asked to his adoptive mother. Tears start to roll down from boy's cheeks.

Regina hugged to his beloved boy and tried to shield his eyes from sight of her birth mother's scars. "We don't know my dear." she said to him "We don't know."

After taking all her clothes Emma stepped into the cold water. Even though they weren't as restraining as the Dark One's dagger it was still refreshing to be free from handcuffs. When she saw a fish she tried to use her magic to catch it but something was holding her back. Deal she made was restraining her from doing certain things. She decide to worry about that later and tried the enjoy her free moments. She took her sweet time while cleaning herself up, all on her own, without needing to use any kind of magic. When she turned around to left the river she saw Henry looking at her with a sad expression on his face. When she looked at her reflection on the water and saw her scars she understood why. It must be hard for the boy to see his mother like this. Beneath all that darkness that threatening to swallow her as a whole, Emma somehow feel to need the make the boy happy. She concentrated and summoned her powers. Then she used them to heal herself. Her wounds started to heal one by one. Process took a lot of time but it was worth it. By the time she was done her skin was as smooth as a baby's bottom. When she opened her eyes Emma saw her family, Regina and Hook smiling at her. She couldn't help but smile back.

Then something passed by her legs. When she looked down she saw a shoal of fish swimming through her legs. Each one of them almost big as her hands. She quickly catched one and then throw it to coast near her spectetors. When she heard their laughes she continued to catch one fish after another with an incredible speed. Few minutes later they had more fish then they will ever need. After that Emma finally stepped out of the water and get dressed. Then she walked over to Regina and raised her hands before her, so she can handcuff her again. Deal was a deal. When their deal was complete she felt a weird relaxation like some kind of burden got out of her chest.

* * *

Later that night thanks to Regina's cloaking spell they burned a fire without having to fear of being seen and cook some of the fish Emma cought. They were talking abouts their past adventures with hopes of reminding Emma who she was before the darkness take her over. And Emma was responding. Though she was still making weirds comments like "I have no idea why I didn't kill that little punk Peter Pan at the first chance I get." or "We should have get rid of Rumplestiltskin sooner." But because of they didn't want her to put her walls around her again they choose not to dwell on it.

Then Emma sensed someone behind the tree line and got up on her feets with fire in her eyes.

"What is it love? Did you sensed something?" Hook asked. As much as they find her ability to sense other people uncanny they also learned to take it seriously. After all she already saved their lives once.

"Scouts." she said to them. "I'll try to send them of our trail." Then before anyone can stop her she walked away and disappeared into the night.

Few minutes later when she came back with blood on her hands and they understand that she send them of their trail all the way to the otherside. This was a tough reminder of how dangerous she really is. Fun was over.

They got up early in the morning and pack up their camp then they tried to go back to the road they left. But when they found it road was already crawling with soldiers. Regina suggested to teleport them to the castle but there is no way to be sure it would be safe. If the castle already fallen they can find themeselves surrounded by enemies. So they decide to go back follow the river until they got to sea and walk to Arandelle Castle from there. This way the journey would take at least a day longer but they were also hoping it to be safer.

Emma was leaving them alone from time to time and she always came back covered in blood. They hated what she was doing when she was gone and seeing her covering in blood but there is no way of stopping her witout the dagger.

On the third day Snow tried to make a deal with her. "I want to make a deal." she said to Emma all of a sudden.

Emma tried to resist to compulsion but before she knew it she was already asking the damn question "What is it do you want dearie?"

"I don't want you to kill ever again." Snow said.

Emma's internal struggle began to surface on her face. "And what do I get in return?" She asked before she know it.

"We will uncuff you." Snow said. And when Emma started to shake "Don't fight against it Emma! This is a good deal just take it. Please!" she pleaded to her.

While they're all watching Emma opened her mouth and tried to speak. "It's a d... It's a..." but then she finally manage to resist to urge of making a deal. "NO! No deal." she yelled. It wasn't the terms she was fighting against, it was the thought of getting restrained somehow again. And then she ran away.

After that whenever anyone tried to approach her, she just disappeared into the woods and always come back with bloodstained hands like she wants to punish them. Her decision of seclusion didn't work wonders on her psychology either. Longer she stayed alone the bitter she got, and her dark aura started to look like a black hole.

Later that night while everyone is sleeping Emma got up and walked over to the river, she kneeled and look at her own reflection at the water. She wondered how did Rumplestitskin managed to broke some of his deals. If she wants to refrain to her free will she'll need to figure that out quickly. Then she looked at her reflection again. Could it be that easy? Maybe, maybe not. She just had to try and see what happens. Then she spoke towards her reflection. "I want to make a deal..."

* * *

When they finally reach to shores they saw that Arendelle Castle is just a few miles away. But getting there is not going to be that easy. Arendelle was under siege. There was a huge army between them and Castle. An army that blocks city's supply lines and that keeps getting larger and larger by the reinforcements they ran into. Sea was also crawling with ships and small boats.

Castle was in a very bad shape, there were a lot of burnt marks all around it and main walls that protecting the city around the castle were filled with cracks. Some of the towers were razed to the ground by constants fires of enemy balistas and catapults. Despite all that city was still in the defenders hand.

And they can easily see why. There were a lot of frozen ships on the sea and thick ice supports were keeping the cracked walls together. There were also tactically placed ice walls all around the battlefield that robs the enemy army's number advantage away from them. And there were constant storms blowing all around battlefield making it even more harder to advance for the enemy. Looks like Elsa, The Queen of Arendelle, was determinied not to make things easy on her enemies.

But it was all temporary. With one look at enemy armies massive numbers of reinforcements David understand that this battle has only two way of proceeding and neither one of them has a good outcome for the people of Arendelle. Enemy either can wait for them to starve or use their number advantage to crush the defenders under their large numbers. The latter would cause them to take heavy casulties but it would eventually pay off.

"How the bloody hell are going to get there?" Hook asked.

"Regina can you use a cloaking spell like the one at the campsite?" Snow asked.

"Yes I can. But that wouldn't be too effective while walking past that huge crowd." Regina said "But I can disguise us as one of them."

"Even better." David said "We also need to send a message to Elsa if we don't want her to turn us into icicles."

Regina raised her hand above her head and summoned a raven. She whispered somethink to the bird then send it flying. "Done." she said. "But before I can disguise us I need to take a closer look at their armors."

"I'll find us one." Emma said with a deadly voice and before anyone can stop her she disappeared among the trees. Few minutes later she came back with a dead soldier over her shoulder and throwed the body to Regina's feets.

"This will do." Regina said. She barely managed to hide the discomfort in her face and voice. But by one look at other's faces, she saw that she didn't have to bother to try. She kneeled above body and examined the black armor. "Yes. This shouldn't be too hard." Then she concentrated and cast her spell.

Everyone exept for Emma started to change. They were all changed into medieval knights and they were wearing black armors andhelmets right now but she can still tell them apart by their auras. Killian's hook was gone. Snow and Regina change into large muscular mens. Regina intentionally made themselves larger then Hook and David just to tease them. But when Emma saw Henry now was taller then her she couldn't help but comment. "Wow they weren't kidding when they say kid's grow up so fast." then she looked at herself again. "So I'm to be your prisoner?" she asked

Regina, it was weird to call her that right now, kneeled and grabbed a handfull of mud from the ground and slapped it right into Emma's face. "You are our dirty prisoner." she said with a man's deep voice.

Others didn't wait too long before joining to fun and they covered her with mud head to toe. By the time they're done she was ready to fight a Predator. Her white hairs, golden skin and weird clothes shouldn't take too much attention right now. When you're covered in mud people doesn't stop you to question your fashion choices.

The raven Regina send came back but insted of settling down one of them it flew in circles above their head. It was obviously confused. And Snow Knight reached out to it. Raven sit on her index finger. Looks like she can get along with forest animals no matter what form she's in. Raven delivered Elsa's message into her ear.

"I see." Snow Knight said with a man's voice.

"So what does it said?" Asked Knight Charming.

"Well, looks like there is a secret passage to the harbor from inside the forest but she asks us if we can do something for her before using that path."

"Well forget about it we already have our handsful!" said the Evil Knight.

"What does she wants us to do?" Captain Knight

"She wants us to sabotage the war machines." Snow Knight said.

"That is actually bloody genius." Captain Knight said.

"True." Knight Charming confirmed. "We wouldn't want to go all the way over there to just to get crushed by those machines anyway."

They chose a meeting place, in case of anything goes wrong with the "Operation Mole" and then started to walk towards to enemy camp with their prisoner. Killian and David was at the front, Emma was in the middle, Regina Henry and Snow was at the back.

"Hold it!" A burly man with a round belly yelled behind them when they entered to the enemy camp. Knight Charming and Captain Knight stand at attention as soon as they saw the man's shoulder badges. But others didn't know the first thing about military chain of command. Expecially the Evil Knight Regina who looks to the man's face like she was expecting him to bow down before her. Luckily it was night time so the man didn't notice their disorder.

"At ease!" men said. "I'm Knight-Sergeant Barnabas. Who is it you bring in here?"

"One of the castles stuff sir!" David yelled "We think she used a secret passage to get out of the castle!" He knows from experience that the best lies were always the ones that based on the truth.

Instead of looking exited Knight-Sergeant sighed with annoyment "She and hundreds of others like her." Barnabas said. "Follow me. We will take her to the pens. Interrogator will decide if she knows anything of value." Then he take look at Emma's feminine body and added. "What a shame."

They had no choice but to follow him right now. While they're walking around camp Knight-Sergeant Barnabas enlightened them with his extraordinary wisdom about how he would've run this military camp if he was in charge. He complained about many things. Meals, women in the pens, blacksmiths, women in the pens, those damn lucky soldiers on the boats, exept for the ones in the frozen ones of course, women in the pens, his superiors and women in the pens. "Caging them up like they're some kind of animal! What a waste! What a waste I say. The only thing they can give to the interrogator is cooking recipes, which by the way I don't think any of them lasted that long because meals in this camp are still terrible." He spitted on the ground and continued. "They could've put them to better use. Soldiers needs distraction!" he said then he laughed and his belly shook like a bowlful of jelly. Knight Charming and Captain Knight were grinding their teeth with anger but foolish man thought they were smiling.

They followed him to the outside of main camp. There was only two big cages and one big tent in this clearing. Also four soldiers waiting guard by the pens, two to each cage. While they're approaching to the site they smelled the pens before they can see them and they understood why there is no other tents around here. Smell of the dead was so strong in this area that it almost made them throw up.

Even though the terrible smell they all breathed a sigh of relief when the Knight-Sergeant left their side. That lasted until the guards take Emma away and throw her into the muddy ground in the pen with other women. Most of these 'women' Knight-Sergeant Barnabas lustfully talked about was just children and teenage girls. Exept for Emma there was only three maybe four other women.

Snow Knight and Henry approached to cage and Emma got back up from the mud to see them "We will come back for you." Snow Knight whispered.

"Don't worry about me kid." Emma said to Henry. Then turned to her mother "Just concentrate on the task at hand. If things got heated I can easily escape and find you at the meeting point." she said to her.

They left her there with heavy hearths and walked back to the main camp. Hook's rum worked wonders about getting the information they need from the soldiers, who were, after a few sips from strong drink, more then willing to tell them the whereabouts of the war machines. But while ballista's all the way to the east near the forest, catapults were at the west near the shore. They had to split up. David, Snow and Henry started to walk east to the catapults while Hook and Regina go to other way to the ballistas.

* * *

After almost one hour of walk Captain Knight and Evil Knight finally found the ballistas but they were heavily guarded of course.

"What the hell are supped to do now?" Evil Knight asked "I can destroy those ballistas but not without drawing the attention of the whole army."

"Relax your Highness" Captain Knight answered. "Now if you can just distract these bloody guards with a small spell?"

Evil Knight sighed "What were you going to do without me?" and created an object inside the forest that's sounds like a firecracker.

"Nice!" Captain Knight said and got near the first ballista. He placed his hand near the triggering mechanism and start tempering with it. Few seconds later he handed Regina a mechanism that looks like a crank. "Hah! They won't notice that it's gone before they try to release a bolt. And there is no way of fixing it without that."

So what am I supposed to do with that? Carry it arround as a souvenir?" she mocked with him.

"I don't know. Blow it, burn it or send it to the bloody sun if you want. You're the one with magic figure something out." Killian said and started tempering with the next ballista.

Evil Knight decided to send the part to the bottom of the sea.

* * *

Charmings walk towards to shore took shorter then they expected but then they saw the catapults on steep cliff. They first had to walk around the cliff and then they had to walk uphill to be able to reach to catapults. All in all it take more than an hour for them reach to catapults. They each take a moment to collect their breath.

"Now what?" Snow Knight asked she was still breathing heavily.

"First we should get past the guards." Knight Charming whispered to them. "Then we deal with catapults."

Henry had no idea why they tried so hard to sneak past the guards. They were sleeping like a rock. He couldn't even hear his own footsteps because of their snoring. After they're done "Okay. So what do we do now?" Henry asked to his mustached grandmother. His face was glowing with exitement. It was obvious he thinks this is a great adventure.

"Should we cut the ropes?" Snow Knight asked.

"That could work but it can be easily repaired with a spare." Knight Charming answered. Then he show them the big rocks that stuffed under the big wooden tires. "Can't be that simple can it?" he asked to them.

"I don't know what you mean by simple David." Snow Knight said to her husband "If we do that everyone in the camp will hear."

"Only other option is leaeving them intact and I don't think I can do that. Not while Elsa is depending on us." Knight Charming said.

"Okay." Snow Knight said rather quickly. She doesn't want to leave the catapults intact either.

So they slowly sneaked up on the guards and easily knocked them out. Then they dragged them out of the catapults way. After that they used one of the soldiers iron pike to push the rocks out of the way.

* * *

While Emma was sitting on the mud covered floor in the pen, she decided to take a look on her neighbours. All those children and teenage girls waiting to be gutted like fish in a barrel. They were all covered in mud and had handcuffs around their wrists just like her. So she fitted right in. Despair she saw in their eyes make her want to do something about their situations. Maybe old Emma wasn't that gone after all. Then she looked at the next cage. The prisoners in that cage were all males, most of them children, and they weren't faring any better. Suddenly a man dressed with black pants and a black apron came out of the tent across the pens, he was dragging a dead teenage girls body behind him and then he throwed her away like a sack of potatoes in a ditch nearby. Emma got up to see inside the ditch and then she understood why there is a lack of adults inside the pens. They were all lying dead in that ditch. Some of those adults were probably the parents of these children.

Suddenly she took a hit on her stomach with the back of a spear which caused her to take a few steps backwards and fell on her knees. "Stay away from the fence!" Guard yelled at her. Appearently they were living by the 'hit first' policy. Then she understand the cause of the sudden outburst.

Interrogator was getting near the pens to choose his next toy. He pointed his fingers at a fourteen year old girl. When they opened the cage Emma felt a sudden surge of rage inside of her and throwed herself between the soldiers and the little girl. One of the soldiers quickly drawed his sword from his belt and slashed Emma's chest with a deep, deadly, upright cut then hit her head with the back of his sword to get her out of the way. Emma knocked out unconscious.

Few minutes later she woke up with a buzzing sound in her ears. Then she opened her eyes and find herself in the ditch with the dead. That buzzing sound was coming from the flies, that were feasting on the dead, all over the ditch. She sat down and take a look at her wound. It was so deep that she can actually see one of her ribs. No wonder they thought she died. Now she can easily leave while everyone thinks she's dead. Then she heard a small voice in the back of her head which awfully sound like Henry's _'or we can go back and save the others'._ She decide to take a look at the prisoners before deciding what to do and slowly climbed the ditch.

The prisoners weren't even trying to help themselves, why would she care about them? Doesn't she get in enough trouble trying to be hero? Then she saw the soldier that cut her open and heard the screams of the little girl from the tent. It was neither wanting to be a hero nor her savior instincts made her decide what to do. It was her hunger for vengeance that fueled her. She was going to kill them one by one. Painfully if she can help it.

Emma crawled to the east along the ditch. This path take her to behind the pens, but also behind the soldiers. She slowly climbed up and make a hush sign to the boys watching her. She sneaked up behind the first soldier and grabbed him by neck with her handcuffs chain. She kicked the soldier behind one of his knees and pushid made him into a kneeling position. She easily grabbed soldier's long sword by the hilt with her two hands and take it out of it from it's scabbard on his back. Then she decapitated the soldier with one stroke. Then she turned to face her other opponents. All three soldiers looked surprised to see her only for a second, then they started to advance towards her with formation like only the experienced soldier can.

Other soldier that guards the same pen as the dead one was carrying a two-handed sword and his hubris caused him to make a fatal mistake: He undrestimated his opponent and try to cut her in half with a single downright blow.

Emma quickly take a step back and raised her arms before her. Heavy sword cut of her cuffs chains right through in the middle giving her ooportunity to use her hands freely. Unfortunutely their magic blocking abilities seems to came from the wrist bands instead of chains.

Soldier roared in anger and swing his two-handed sword left to right. Emma quickly dodged the blow and as soon as his large sword passed above her head she get back up. She dashed forward towards the soldier before he can recuperate from his failed attempt and thrust her sword right in the middle of his chest. She hit the dead soldier with her empty fist to quickly release her sword and turned to face the other two soldiers.

After seeing how easily she dispatched the other two soldiers, these two decided to attack her as a team. One of them was the spearman who hit her with the back of his spear and the other was the swordsman that cut her open.

No matter how much she wanted to take her sweet time with these two Emma couldn't risk being seen from the main camp so she raised her sword above her head and throw it to the spearman. Sword hit it's target right in the throat. Then Emma turned to her last opponent.

When they look each other in the eye soldier recognized her and his eyes were wide opened. No! You were dead! I killed you!" soldier said with a satisfying fear in his voice.

"It looks like you blew it!" Emma laughed and taunted the soldier. Then she approached to soldier with slow and steady steps.

"No stay back!" soldier yelled in panic and thrust his swords to Emma's stomach.

Emma gladly accepted the pain and grabbed the soldiers hand along with his sword. She crushed the man's fingers under her strong grasp and she started to push the sword deeper and deeper into herself while looking right inside the soldiers eyes. Then she grabbed him from his throat and forced him the kneel before her. She pulled the soldiers sword out of her body and used it to stab the soldier in the eye.

After she was done with that she turned and walked over to the tent. Then she realized that there were no more screams coming from inside the tent. She quickened her steps and as soon as the interrogator get out of the tent Emma punched him right in the face. Interrogator tripped over the dead body he was dragging out and fell facedown down on to a wooden table inside the tent. Interrogator grabbed a dagger from the table and swinged it towards the Dark One and manage make a deep cut on one of her cheek. Even so Emma managed the catch interrogator's wrist and pulled him towards herself. She wrapped her arm around his and broke his arm. Man screamed in agony but Emma didn't care and throw him on the ground. He was trying to crawl away from her with one hand. Emma approached him and grabbed his hairs with her two hand. Interrogator begged for mercy but Emma didn't give a damn. And she bashed his head on the ground again and again. She continued to do so even after he's long dead, until his head cracked open.

She got up and walk out of the tent to carry the bodies of the soldiers into the tent. As soon as she walked out she find herself face to face with the Knight-Sergeant Barnabas. When he saw Barnabas froze just for a second but that was all the time Emma needed. She hit his face with the iron wrist band on her arm and knocked him unconsious. Then she carried him inside and put him on to the interrogation chair then handcuffed his wrists to the chair.

Before doing anything else she decide to carry the bodies of the dead soldiers into the tent, as she intended to do before running into Barnabas. After doing that she took out the first sword she used from the pikemans throat and take its scabbard from the headless man and placed them on her back. Then she walked in and looked at Knight-Sergeant. She was going to enjoy this. She saw a bucket of water near by a huge barrel. While grabbing it she saw that the barrel was also full of water. _'Good'_ she thought _'I might need it.'_ Then she throw a bucket of cold water to the Knight-Sergeants face.

Barnabass waked up almost immediately and tried to get up off the chair but cuffs on his wrists wouldn't let him. "What's going on? What are you doing?" Knight-Sergeant asked to Emma. When he realized whats going on "Let me go woman!" He yelled with an ordering tone. It was obvious from his tone that he was expecting her to obey him without question.

Emma didn't bothered to answer to him and began to inspect the 'tools of the craft' laying around on the table with a frightening look on her face.

When he understand that he can't just make Emma obey to his wishes like a 'proper' woman should Barnabas tried something else. "They will find me you know. I don't know how you escaped from your cage but you should've run when you had the chance. You wait and see guards will return any moment."

Emma laughed with a cruel voice. Then grabbed Knight-Sergeant's hairs and turned his head towards the five dead body she stiffed into a corner. "If I were you I wouldn't count on them."

"It doesn't matter." He said. He was finally panicked "They will find me they will hear my screams!"

"Are you trying to say, they will come to investigate the screams coming out of the interrogators tent?" Emma mocked him. "But if you're talking about lack of screams... well I'm about the attend to that."

"Y-You're crazy!" Barnabas said.

"And you talk too much." She replied and picked a set of pliers from the table to attend to that problem. After she's done with his tongue she picked up a scalpel and decide to attend to Knight-Sergeant's lustful tendencies.

* * *

"Emma! Where are you?" Captain Knight yelled in panic.

Emma got up, took the pens keys from one of the dead soldiers and left the tent. There they were. Regina and Hook run straight to her when they saw her wounds.

"What happened?" Evil Knight asked to her she looked worried.

"We had a disagreement about accommodations." Emma answered. And she pointed the tent with her head and said "You wouldn't want to go in there."

After remembering the Sidney Glass 'incident' Evil Knight and Captain Knight decided to take her word for it.

Emma walked up to the pens to open them.

"What are you doing?" Evil Knight asked.

"They're coming with us." Emma answered.

Regine, with a frustrated look on her face, grabbed the keys from her hand before she can open the first cage. "First you get out of your cage just to kill and torture or whatever the hell you did to your captors then you decide to save some children you don't even know! What are you? Are you the Dark One? Or are you still the Savior?"

Emma couldn't answer to that because she didn't know the answer. All she knew that she wants to take those children out of here. Not that because she cared but just to rob the enemy from their precious prisoners.

Then they heard a loud noise from the west side of the main camp. From the area where the catapults are. Alarms started to go off all around the camp. Looks like they managed to dismentle the catapults but not without causing a complete chaos.

"We should go to the meeting point!" Captain Knight said. He was yelling to be heard among all those noises

"No way! I'm not leaving without Henry!" Evil Knight yelled back at him.

"And how do you propose we found him in all this chaos? Kid is with his grandparents. He will be alright! But we won't be if we don't leave now!" Captain Knight answered.

Emma kicked open the first cage door "I'm not leaving without them!" she yelled. Then she ripped the other door off it hinges with her bare hands.

When they realized she was serious about taking the prisoners with them, Captain Knight and Evil Knight had no choice but helping her. Emma's mud and blood covered look was hardly reassuring after all, so it was up to the other two to lead the prisoners to the forest. Then they moved towards meeting point as a large group.

* * *

They left the camp and walked for a while. When they get to the meeting point they can still hear the soldiers in the camp. Then they realized that they were standing in a weird clearing. Trees in this area were making a perfect circle, which was impossible, and there was not even a single fallen leaf or a grass on the ground.

Before they can figure out why, three black armored figure came running into the forest. Prisoners screamed in panic and three soldiers scared so much they almost jumped out of their socks. Emma couldn't help herself and start laughing. She already sensed them before they came into the clearing and because of their aura she already knew who they were.

Regina dispelled the disguise spell with a wave of her hand and there they were: David, Snow and Henry. All three of them looking exausted because of their run but they also seem happy to see them.

Poor prisoners looked even more confused but Snow quickly soothe them with relaxing words. She was always great with the kids, that is if she doesn't forced to put them in the wardrobes or tricked into stealing them while they are eggs.

Then she walked towards the trees. "Okay" Snow said "let's do this. Everyone back away to the forest please." When they did as she told she followed the instructions that came with the bird earlier this day and started to touch middle of the trees one by one with a complicated order. Runes started the glow where ever touched and then she pressed the final one with expectation. Nothing happened for a moment, then all of a sudden, ground started to shake with a loud noise and put even more dent to their not so hidden escape. A bright white light came out of the ground then a large beutiful white marble stair appeared in the middle of the clearing. But this isn't the time for art appreciation.

Snow started to take the prisoners downstairs and others followed right behind them. Because of the commotion they made no one was surprised when a large group of soldiers started to follow them. After ten minutes of climbing down they finally reached to bottom with soldiers on their heels. Cave was lit with a magical white light. Snow looked around for a moment then touched a rune on the wall. An upright wind blow the soldiers on the stairs all the way to the surface, Elsa always preferred to avoid killing if it's possible, and then stairs disappeared like they were never there. Secret passage was no longer open to the visitors. Few soldiers that managed to make it inside weren't going to be that lucky however.

When Emma draw her sword from it's sheath on her back and attacked them with a lightning speed others couldn't do anything but watch with dropped jaws. Sure, Snow and David thought her how to handle a sword just in case she needs to defend herself but what she was doing to those soldiers was far from that. And they certeinly didn't remember teaching her how to chop off a man's head with one strike. They knew she killed a group of enemies before but knowing and seeing was two different things. Watching her fight makes them wonder why they bothered the bring their own weapons.

Because of the confined space soldiers couldn't attack her all at once but that also meant others couldn't help her without endangering her, which was fine by Emma. When the first soldier tried to hit her she easily blocked his blade turned it around and send it flying to the air. She quickly cut open a horizontal wound on the soldier's stomach and catched the second sword with her empty hand. When soldier fell on his knees in agony she used both swords like scissors to decapitate him then she kicked his body out of her way.

A pikeman roared and run towards her. Emma quickly roled forward to get near the soldier and dodge the spear. She quickly get up on her knees and used one of her swords to cut off the pikeman's legs off the ground. Soldier's screams echoed through the caves. She throw the soldier back over her shoulder and get up on her feets to face another opponent.

Next soldier was wielding an axe and a shield. He attacked her with his axe and when she blocked it he quickly hit her face with the back of his shield. Emma quickly stepped back to avoid further damage but the soldier was expecting that so he quickly swing his axe to her head to finish her off. Emma blocked his axe with one of her swords then she used the other sword to chop off his axe holding hand.

When she was about the finish the job she heard the thwack of a crossbow being fired and she used her both swords to block the bolt. She kicked the wounded mans shield to knock him down on the ground and throw one of her swords to the arbalist. Sword hit to soldiers crossbow instead of killing the man as Emma intended. She quickly closed the gap between and cut the arbalists throat with a quick slash.

She turned around and walk toward the wounded axe man then kicked away his shield. Then thrust her sword into his chest.

That was all of them. She wiped her sword to dead soldiers cloak get rid of the blood and sheated it.

Then she saw the pikeman whose legs she cut off. He was trying to crawl away from her. Emma walked towards to soldier but didn't want to use her newly cleaned sword. So she reached down and snapped his neck.

After the fight group walked through the cave in total silent.

* * *

After half an hour of walk they finally reached to end of the tunnel which looked like a dead end. When Snow found a rune and touched it to reaval another set of marble stairs no one even surprised anymore. They climbed up the stairs and found themselves at the harbour.

Before they can enjoy the sea air they heard footsteps of the approaching soldiers. While they were getting ready to defend the children Emma stopped them. Unlike the soldiers on the outside these soldiers have a lighter auras. Like a fair and just ruler watching over them and their actions. And then the Royal Guards of the Arendelle Castle come in to their sight. They were wearing dark grey hats, long grey overcoats, black boots and white gloves. And they were carrying the Arendelle's symbol, the crocus flower, on their equipments.

Soldiers stopped few steps before them and one of them stepped forward "Prince Charming and Snow White and their loyal subjects" Regina snarled with anger at this point."Queen Elsa, the rightful heir and the just ruler of Arendelle welcome you to their families land and she requests to see you as soon as possible." Soldier said with an official voice. Despite their dirty and indecent outfits for such an invite, Snow White and Prince Charming manage the accept the offer with the elegants of royals. They would prefer to clean first but when the royal family of the land you're in 'request' your presence one has no choice but accept it, even if they crawled through a sewer. Snow and Charming send enough 'requests' like these while they're the ruling family in their own lands to know that it actually means 'get your ass in here as soon as possible!'. Evil Queen on the other hand looks ready to rip someone's heart out.

Then they started to walk to the Arendelle Castle with the company of the Royal Guards.

Apart from few burned buildings Harbour looked still intact. But the despair they saw in people's eyes were pointing out to another problem. They were losing hope.

Suddenly "Anton! Grace!" an elderly women yelled after them. She ws running to them.

Two of the children they saved looked back and smiled "Grandma!" they yelled back and throw themselves at women's arms.

"I thought I lost you forever!" Woman said with tears rolling down on her cheeks. "Where is your Mother?"

Kid started to cry and that was enough answer for the old woman.

Suddenly they were surrounded by the parents looking for their loved ones. They were asking about them with their names some of them showing sketces to them. Many of the children reunited with their family. And when they asked how did they escape most of them pointed out to Emma. Then parents come to thank to 'Scary lady with the sword'.

Emma had no idea what they expect her to say. ' _What would old Emma would say?'_ she thought to herself. Then she decide to settle with a smile. Would those parents still thank her if they knew she thought about leaving those children behind? Or that she only go back there to satisfy her own bloodlust and the kids were just happen to be there? She didn't think so.

Three of the children, two girl and one boy, was still with them but then some families decide to take them in. So eventually everyone found a home.

"You did a fine think M'lady." one of the Royal Guards said to her. Despite all the mud and blood on Emma's appearance there was no sign of any disrespect in his voice.

"That's who she is." Hook said with a smile.

David, Henry and Snow also was smiling at her with proud.

Regina didn't say anyting. Former Evil Queen knew why Emma did what she did and it was nothing to be proud of. Truth of the matter is Emma just wanted to take something from people that caused her pain. But she didn't try to embarrass her in front of the others either.

They left the harbour and get past from a market place. It was empty at this hour of the night. But they heard music from some of the taverns. After that they start to walk through a rich neighborhood. Three or four story large houses in this area were ridiculously adorned with all kinds of fancy ornements. It was obvious some of them thinking that this was a contest. Then they finally reached the palace.

Even though some of it's towers were gone and it's walls filled with burnt marks Arendelle's Castle was still a marvelous sight. It's intact towers were reaching to the skies and it's white walls and blue roofs makes it feel like it was once part of the sky but conjured down from there, so the fair rulers of this land can use it as their seat of power while watching over and protecting the people of Arendelle.

They entered to castle and passed through a large entrance hall. Then they turned left and walk through a long corridor. This corridor was filled with statues of the Royal family members of the past. Most of them looked old but two of them were shining among others. They recognized on of them right away. Ingrid. Then the other one must be Helga.

Then they finally arrived to the throne room. And there she was, Queen of Arendelle Elsa, beautiful as ever. Anna and Kristoff was with her. Their auras were almost white as Henry's. But while other's auras was still, Elsa's aura swirling around her like it cought up in a storm, which seem very harmonious to Emma considering the powers she can use but it was also extremely contradictory with her, almost always, calm face. After they politely bow down before her Elsa sent her guards outside with a very Queen-like tone. After they left the throne room they throwed the formalities out of the window and hugged each other.

"Welcome my friends! Welcome!" Elsa said to them.

"Kristoff!" David said. "I see you two finally manage to get married!."

"If we wait few more days we would have to postpone the wedding again all because of the damn Hans and his stupid brothers!" Kristoff said while hugging to David.

"Congratulations!" Snow said and hugged to Anna.

" Not that we're saying that their timing is perfect." Anna said to them. "Because you know, there is no such a thing about wars. But just few days before Elsa's birthday? It's like they planned it. Not that I'm suggesthing they had brains to plan anything that sopisticted."

Elsa laughed "It's okay Anna. My birthday is least of our problems right now." she said to her sister." Then Elsa looked around "I thought Emma would be with you too." She said. "I really miss her."

"What's the matter Elsa?" Emma asked "Didn't you recognize your old friend?" You can leave it to Emma to quickly ruin a happy moment.

"My god is that really her?" Anna asked. "She looks awful! I mean, it's probably not her fault it's because of all the dirt. Not that I'm saying you're dirty." Then she take look at her clothes and asked. "Is that blood? I hope it's not someone else's? Not that I prefer it to be yours." Then she saw her handcuffs. "What with the cuffs." she asked.

"Still talking too much I see?" Emma said "Remind me, Elsa, why were we looking for her again?"

Elsa seemed shocked. "Emma why are you talking like that?" she said to her.

"I wouldn't take her seriously my dear." Regina said. "She's not been... herself for a while. And cuffs for blocking her magic."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Elsa asked. "Is everything okay?"

When Emma look at her companions faces she realized that they don't want to say it out loud, like it can make it any less real if they don't. She laughed at their stupidity. "What they don't want to say out loud is, you're looking at the new dark one." Then she unknowingly imitate the Rumplsetiltskin's famous courtly bow, which she never saw him do. "Emma Swan. At your service." Emma said and she giggled which was all very terrifying for all who knows the late Dark One before the curse.

"But I thought you have to kill the..." Anna started to talk again. "But you didn't kill him did you? I know he was a terrible, terrible man that no one would miss, well maybe exept for Belle, but still..."

"Unfortunutely, I didn't have the pleasure." Emma answered.

"So what brought you here?" Elsa asked.

Regina quickly changed the subject "Can we discuss this after a shover and a good rest? We're really tired. Who would have thought sabotage would be so tiresome." She said to Elsa. They didn't want to talk about Merlin near Emma and risk another 'accident'.

"I don't know how I will ever repay you for that! I'm really greatfull. Arendelle has a chance now." Elsa said. "But how rude of me. Let's get you settled."

She kept thanking them for destroying the war machines and they keep saying the same thing to her, that it was nothing worth mentioning. Because the truth of the matter is, it really wasn't. What they did was only delayed the inevitable. That massive army at the outside either wait them out until they starve or they will eventually find a way to get into the city and crush the defenders. But they couldn't convince themselves to say that to her. Not while she looks so happy.

* * *

After meeting with the Queen they get to their rooms. There were a lot of empty rooms but they just used four of them. They gave one of the rooms the Henry and one to Emma. Others decided to keep changing the rooms. Someone was always sharing a room with Emma and Henry. When Snow and Emma walked into their room they found bathtubs full of hot water waiting for them and they gratefully jumped in.

They're all cleaned up nicely and rested up for a few hours. Them they joined to their hosts for the dinner. Whem they saw Emma's golden skin and white hairs for the first time they can't help but stare for a moment. While eating they intentionally avoid the topic of Merlin and talked about the war.

David and Snow, who fought many battles in their times, finally decide to be truthfull with Elsa.

"Be reasonable Elsa." David said. "There is a massive army outside. How long can you last without supplies? You should leave this place while you can. You can take your people and come back with us if you want!"

If they were anyone else Elsa would feel furious and insulted by the offer. But she knew this people. She knew they were just worried about her and people of Arendelle's safety.

"But how David." Elsa asked calmly. "Portal lies behind the army and you know it. And we can't use the secret passage anymore. It'll be guarded for sure. I'm afraid we don't have anywhere else to go. And I wouldn't leave here even if I could." Then Else raised her voice with anger and she banged her fist on the table. "I'll not leave my lands to savages like Hans!" she yelled. When she get angry, little snow flakes started to fly around her head as her trademark.

"Belive me Elsa we know how you feel." Snow said to her. "We understand not wanting to give up your lands. But trust me it's not worth dying over and it's definitely not worth to condemn your people to death. Because that's what's going to happen if you choose to stay here."

"But where can we go?" Elsa asked. "We are surrounded and the only open way is will lead us to the mountains. If we can't even hold out in the city how are we supposed to survive there? No I'm afraid we're stuck here. If we're going to die, we're going to die with our head held high. I wish there were other options."

"Of course there is." Emma said suddenly. "I can make all your problems go away. But you already know this don't you?" She said to Elsa. "After all, you've been trying to reach my predecessor for few days now."

They all looked at Else with widened eyes.

"Elsa!" Anna yelled "I thought we talked about this! We had agreed that this was a terrible idea!"

"No, we didn't." Elsa said angrily. "I asked and you kept talking, until you convince yourself that we agreed upon what a terrible idea this is then you left."

"Joan is... Anna is right Elsa" David said to her. "This is a bad idea."

"What other choice do I have?" Elsa answered to David. "None and you know it."

"There is always a catch with the Dark One's deals you know that." Kristoff said to her sister in law. Then looked at Emma and added. "No offense."

I don't have to luxury of thinking about that!" Elsa's voice started to raise with anger again. She was squeezing the handles of her chair and they started to froze right before their eyes.

"It can only make things worse." Snow said to Elsa.

"How much worse?" Elsa asked her rhetorically "You said, you understand not wanting to lose your lands, so you know I can't just sit here and do nothing! If there is a way to save my people I have to take it!."

"Magic always comes with a price." Regina warned Elsa, from one Queen to another. "So does making a deal with the Dark One. You should know that better than anyone. If you need examples to how, just try to remember what it did to your parents and how their actions consequences almost destroyed us all, through Ingrid, even after so many years."

Regina's words calmed Elsa down. Because despite having different alignments Regina's the only other person in this room that knows what she is talking about. The power and responsibility that comes with magic is what makes them kindred spirits and having the pay it's price whenever they forced to use it, even if it's for the greater good.

Elsa would love to be able count on her old friend Emma but it was hard to guess what she was thinking let alone what she was going to do next. Maybe it really was too much of a risk to trust her.

"Okay." Elsa answered to them. "I'll look at my other options some more before I do anything rash. But if I can't find anyother solution..."

"Then we will not try to stop you from making a deal with her." Snow completed Elsa' sentence for her.

Emma laughed "If you finally decide to wheter or not to trust me..." then she suddenly stopped and looked at the door.

While Anna, Elsa and Kristoff wandering why she stopped at middle of her sentence others, thanks to early alarm system called Emma, quickly recognized what's going on. There is danger afoot.

"What is it mom?" Henry asked.

Old Emma's wit suddenly resurfeced for a second then "I sense a disturbence in the force." she answered the boy's question without even realizing. After that Emma quickly grabbed a kitchen knife and throw it to the double doors of the dining hall, almost at the same time as the doors crushed open towards the inside.

Assassins wearing black garbs and black masks poured inside the dining hall. And the first one that got in fall on the ground with a knife sticking out of his eye. Then she climbed up to the table and throwed herself at the attackers before they can do any damage to the others. Too little too late.

In the first chaotic moments of conflict one of the assassins tried to take advantage of the confusion and pointed a mini crossbow right through Elsa's heart then pulled the triger. Kristoff pushed her out of the way just in time but he paid for his heroic by getting shot in his shoulder.

They were heavily outnumbered but that didn't stop them. Anna, David, Hook and Snow skillfully disarmed the near by soldiers and used them to cut down their opponents. They were working together as a deadly team and standing guard front of the magicians, killing anyone foolish enough to get close to them.

But Regina and Elsa was running this show. Elsa was using her ice magic to trap and immobilize the assassins. Regina on the other hand wasn't that forgiving. She took Henry behind herself then started to cast down fireballs on the attackers and burned them to ashes.

Emma was dancing inside the fire and ice, without having to fear of getting hurt or killed by her allies magic and killing whomever gets in her way. Besides using her body as a weapon she also got creative with kitchenwares. Diner knives, forks and spoons were sticking out of her opponents eyes and necks. She crushed some of the assassins heads with a silver couldron by using it like a flail and used the shards of the smashed plates to cut their throats. She was always resourceful in a kitchen.

Conflict died out as quick as it started, so did the assailants.

Anna throwed herself on her husband. "Kristoff! Are you okay?" she asked, then "Of course you're not how could you. What were you thinking? Jumping front of the bolt like that! Not that I would prefer Elsa to get shot." she started crying "Of course I don't mean to say that I'm happy you get shot either. I mean I would be perfectly okay if no one got shot." Elsa approached to her sister and put her hand on Anna's shoulder to calm her down.

Kristoff smiled to his wife. "I'm okay Anna really." he said to her then bravely moved her arm. "See? It's nothing." he said to them even though he was almost passed out because of the pain.

"I believe you just earned a medal Kristoff." Elsa said to him with a small smile. "But it will have to wait until this is all over."

"Let me see that." Regina said. Then she examined his wound. "I can easily heal that but it seems the bolt is stucked into the bone." her bedside manners was so great that she actually manage to scare of Kristoff.

David tried to take the bolt out of Kristoff's shoulder but couldn't accomplish anything but making him scream. "We need someone strong." he said while wiping out his sweat "Emma? Can you give it a try?"

Emma approached to them and kneeled then grabbed the bolt. She waited for a few seconds then looked at to the others. "Well? Are you planning on holding him down anytime soon or should I just knock him unconsious?" her bedside manners was even worst that she actually managed to made Regina look like a thoughtful and caring person compared to herself. When they finally hold him down she pulled out the bolt off his shoulder with all her strength while accompanied by Kristoff's screams.

Regina quickly healed his wound. "It'll take time before it fully heals." she said to Anna. "He won't be able to use his arm properly until than but he will be okay."

They helped him up then Anna throw herseslf on Regina and Emma then hugged them "Thank you! Thank you both." she said to them. You're the best Dark One yet. I know it's not much of a compliment because I only knew the one before you but still! And I'm glad you're not Evil anymore!" That sudden burst of happiness cought them both off guard.

"It's okay really." Regina said she sound uncomfortable. "Now will you please let us go before we need healing ourselves." Humorous expressions on everyones face hardly helped to anything.

"Oh sorry" Anna said and she let them go. Tears of joy were running down her cheeks.

Kristoff approached to them "Thank you fo..." he collapsed in the middle of his sentence and started to shake on the ground. They all kneeled around him in panic, well exept for Emma who doesn't really care about what happens to him.

Hook take the bolt on the ground and smelled it. "Poison." Killian said then he looked at David with a grim face. While they were talking Emma took the bolt from his hand and put it in her pocket.

David recognized that look right away. "No. Don't tell me it's Dreamshade." He said to Hook.

"What's a Dreamshade?" Elsa asked to them.

"It's a highly efficent poison, love." Hook said to her. "And it also highly difficult to aquire. It can only be extracted from magical plants grows in the Neverland. You must have really pissed someone off to go all that trouble to get that."

"I, myself exposed to it once." David said to Elsa while grabbing his side with an instinct. "It'll take few days before it reaches to heart."

"Then what?" she asked with a sad voice. She feared she already knew the answer.

"He will die." Hook said.

"No!" Anna yelled. "No! He can't die! Not like this! Not after everything we've been through!" Then she looked at David and almost begged to him "You're healed didn't you? He can be healed too! Please help him, please!

"It's not that simple." David said to her with a sad expression on his face.

I'll do anything please! Just.. Just help him or tell me how and I'll do it myself!"

"There is only one way to stop him from dying." Hook said to her. "But that would require going to Neverland. Which is impossible for an adult."

"That's not exactly true." Emma said to them. "I can go there and get the water. Hell I can even make the potion Gold did for my Father." She put her index finger to her head. "It's all in here." As she expected, exept for Anna, they all looked at her offer for help with suspicion on their faces.

"What water?" Anna asked to her with a renewed hope on her face.

"From the spring on Neverland." Snow answered. "It has strong magical and healing properties.

"And the potion?" Elsa asked.

"Well, you see the water only works on bloody Neverland." Hook said to Elsa. "Because of it's magic came from there, when you try to leave the Neverland you die. Crocodile made a cure for that with some of the spring's water."

"And you can do that too?" Anna asked to Emma.

"Sure." Emma said to her and showed Anna shackeles on her wrists. "All you had to do give me my freedom."

"But how're you going to get there?" Elsa asked to Emma. "There is no portal to Neverland from here. Do you have a magic bean with you?"

"I don't need one." Emma answered plainly.

"She can teleport between realms." Regina said to them with a sour face. Like having to admit that left a bad taste on her mouth.

"H-how?" Elsa asked to Regina with a shocked face. Regina shrugged her shoulders.

"Does it metter? Anna asked to them "Just heal him please! Please I beg of you. I'll do anything!"

Emma giggled "I love it when they say that." Emma said to her. "As I said I won't move a finger until I get my freedom. It's your boy toy's life for my freedom capiche?"

"Y-you want to make a deal?" Anna asked to her.

"Out of the question!" Regina yelled. "Trust me girl you don't want to see her free. Last time she almost destroyed the entire Storybrooke."

"To be fair half of the damage was Dragon's fault." Emma answered and giggled again.

"A Dragon?" Anna and Elsa asked at the same time with a surprised look on their face.

"Well, if you change your mind, I'll be right here." Emma said to them and giggled. "Let me know when he take a turn for the worse."

"You're a monster." Anna said to her and started to cry.

Emma turned her gold skin face towards Anna and look at the Princess with her pure black eyes then she asked "What gave me away?" Her actions started to resemble more and more to Rumplestiltskin's. That makes them wonder how much of Rumplestiltskin's actions actually was Dark One's fault. Was she going to be like him? Driven by her own ambitions but willing to do anything and everything because of the Dark One's influance?

Henry approached to his birth mother and said "Please mom. Just help them." Boy's pleading tone was making Emma want to do what ever he wants her to do just to make him happy. Henry could always manage appeal to her humanity.

Emma resisted the urge to cave in to the boy but when she spoke her voice was a lot like herself. "I need to be free Henry." She said to her boy. "These cuffs" she pointed them out "driving me crazy."

"Then prove us that you can be trusted." Henry said. "Make a deal with me."

"No." Emma said to him. Boy looked disappointed. Then Emma said "But I'll make a deal with one of them." When Henry hugged her she couldn't help but let out a tear. "Okay. We better get to it before the smelly boy bites the dust."

They left Emma and gathered together in a corner. They discussed the terms of the deal and try to decide who will make it. They were supposedly whispering but Emma almost heard all of their conversation. Then she wondered if the little trick she tried at the lakeside going to work. If it does she won't have to worry about any terms.

In the mean time, Emma decided to check out the assassins bodies. She started with the one that shot Kristoff. His feets were frozen and there is a burnt marks on his chest. And a spoon was sticking out of his ear. Apparently he managed to pissed all the wrong people before he died. When she cheked his pockets she found some papers that slightly burned. There was a sketch of Elsa, a map of sewers beneth Arendelle, which explains how they got in and a list, which specifies where Elsa can be found at certain hours. It was obvious this was an inside job. Then she pulled his melee weapon from his sheath, which he never get a chance to use in this fight. Unlike others, this assassin was carrying a katana. It was longer then a long sword but light enough to use in one hand if need be. After admiring it's design Emma decided to take it and she placed the sword on her back.

"We can't just free her!" Regina said for the thousand times. "We have make sure that she comes back. Or are you willing to bet on your husbands life?"

"But what can we do?" Anna asked. The fact that she uses such small words was showing how scared she really was.

"We have to be very specific about her every step." Snow said to them. "She shouldn't have time to wander around or use her magic for anything but to complete the given task. Maybe a time limit?"

"That would be inefficient." Elsa said. "We don't know how long will it take her to do, whatever we sent her there to do. What if because of us she came back empty handed?"

"She is right." David agreed to Elsa. "We will give her specific instructions but no time limit. Agreed?" They all agreed on that plan.

"Okay." Anna said to them "He is my husband and it should be me who makes the deal."

"I don't think so." Elsa said to her. "You're too emotional right now. I won't let her take advantage of that."

"No!" Anna answered "I won't let you do this!"

Elsa spoke with a stern voice. "You can't decide what I can or can not do. Only I have that power here. I, Elsa, the Queen of Arendelle." after that Regina looked at her with a certein level of respect.

Anna bowed to her sister with a sour face and spoke "Yes, my queen." Her tone was telling Elsa that she was going to pay for this outburst later.

Elsa sighed and walked towards Emma. "Okay." She said to her. "I want to make a deal."

When she didn't feel any compulsion about making any kind of deal Emma had a hard time concealing her smile. But she still had to test her little tricks efficiency on the bonding effect of made deals. "What is it you want dearie?" she asked to Elsa.

Elsa take a deep breath and spoke "After we take off your cuffs I need you to go to the Neverland and as soon as you're there I need you to gather all the necessary ingreadients then make a potion for Kristoff then return here the minute it's done. And don't use your magic for anything exept for the tasks that given to you. And after that you will wear your cuffs again."

Emma laughed. "I see you thought everything." she said to her. "Fair enough. It's a deal. But you never said who is coming with me."

"What?" they asked all at once.

"Well I never saw the spring myself so either Hook or David will have to come with me." she said to them like it was obvious.

"I'll go with you." David said but Hook stopped him.

"No offense, mate but the last time you were anywhere near a dreamshade it didn't go well for you."

"Point taken." David said to him.

Emma handed over the papers she found on the assassin to Elsa "You might want to take a look at these." Emma said then she raised her hands "Regina?" When Regina unshacked her and she felt no obligation of any kind to honour their agreement she understand that her little trick has worked out wonders. Now she can do anything and go anywhere she like. But with one look of Henry's face she decided to play along for now. Emma looked at Hook. "What are you waiting for handsome? An invitation? Come here and grab my shoulder."

Killian smiled at her. "I love it when you get bossy." then she walked over her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I would stand back if I were you." Emma said to others and then looked at Killian and said "Buckle up Jack Sparrow. This is going to be a bumpy ride."

Emma stand in the middle of the room with closed eyes. Her arms were wide open and the palms of her hands were looking up. For a second it looked like nothing is happening. Then small orbs of dark and light magic appeared on her palms and they started to grow with a steady rate. Then they started to crawl on to her skin in some kind of liquid form. Liquids mixed into a distinct gray color and it started to wrap her entire body until only her head and somehow Hook remained untouched by it. While it's slowly climbing to her face a high pitched ringing voice started to echoing througout the castle. Her white hairs started to fly like it cought up in a storm then she suddenly opened her eyes. Gray lights were shining out from her eye sockets. When liquid finally covered her entire face it exploded with a shatering voice then ground started to shake. This time, maybe because of two people trying to teleport, it was even worst then before. Candles and torches fall on the ground then ignited the curtains and carpets alike. Then everything around them, kitchenwares, weapons, chairs even corpses started to float around. Due to lack of electrical light sources in Arendelle there was no blackouts this time. Gray shards, instead of falling on the ground, stopped at mid air then they started to flying around Emma and Hook. Then a wind started to blow around them. The faster the shards get stronger the wind become. Winds quenced the fires before they get a chence to spread but they also caused to weapons and corpses flying around dangerously. It was almost like getting caught in a tornado. Then suddenly everyting stopped. Ground was no longer shaking and the ringing sound was stopped. Floating objects and corpses fell on the ground with a loud noise. Gray shards on the other hand were still standing in mid air without moving an inch but they were looking like drops now instead of sharp objects. Then they started to fly right into Emma's chest faster then eye can see. Emma and Hook flickered for a second then they were gone. No gray smoke no nothing. They just disappeared into the thin air.

* * *

Hook and Emma appeared on a shore just a few feet above the ground. When they touched to the ground Hook easily kept his balance and avoid falling on the ground. Emma on the other hand fall on her hands and knees, there was smokes coming out of her entire body.

Hook run ever to her and touched her shoulder, before Emma can warn him otherwise, then screamed in pain. "Oh shit!" His hand was burnt. "Damn it girl, you're smoking hot!" he said to Emma, pun intended. When she didn't answer to him he looked worried. "Emma? Are you okay, love?"

Emma finally looked up into his eyes. She was looking very exausted and her nose was bleeding. "I'll be okay in a minute." she said to him. She sounded very tired. Then she got up and wiped out the blood off her face.

"What was that?" Hook asked her.

"Nothing." Emma answered to him and started to walk towards the sea.

Killian catched her arm with his hook. "You are not fooling me Swan! Now tell me what the bloody hell is going?"

Emma tried to free her arm from his grasp but couldn't do it. That alone was cause for worry. Hook saw her throw the men twice of his size before.

"Strong magic's like these take it's toll okay? It's nothing to worry about. Now let go off me!" She demanded. When Hook let her go she walked into the sea and water around her started to boil in a small circle with a hissing sound.

"This is the shore we landed when we get here to save Henry." Hook said to Emma.

"You don't say." Emma answered with a irritated voice. Looks like she quickly get back to her old, new Dark One, self. "Well I wouldn't be able to teleport us here if I didn't remember the place."

"But why here, why not deeper into the forest where it's closer to the spring?"

"With the same reason why I didn't just teleport into the diner." Emma said and walked out of water with a renewed energy. "If I try to teleport on a spot where other things stand we could just end up dead or worse we can merge with them. I personally don't want to spend the rest of my days as a talking rock."

"That sound distasteful." Hook said to her.

"Being a talking rock?" Emma asked with a playful smile on her face. "I doubt anyone would notice the difference."

"Oh yeah?" Killian asked. He was also smiling. "I'll show you the rock!" He said to her. Then he suddenly ran towards Emma and tried to jump on her, hoping to knock her into the sea. But all he caught was gray smokes. Then he fell into the water with a loud splash. He got up and looked at Emma with a surprised look on his face. Emma was on the shore and she was laughing so hard she was berely standing on her feets. After a few seconds Hook couldn't help but start laughing himself.

"Come on." Emma said to Killian. She was still smiling "I will try to teleport us near the spring."

Then Hook suddenly stopped and looked at her "Wait. Shouldn't you be unable to use your magic besides for the tasks? Hod did you teleport out of my way?"

Emma look at him while smiling. "Let's just say that I just had to think about getting closer to the spring." She said to him and hoping that would convince him. In truth when she saw him running towards her, she instinctively teleported away. It was very stupid mistake to make. She had to be more careful in the future.

Hook laughed again. "Smart."

Hook came near her and Emma hold his hand "Now try to think about the spring."

Hook closed his eyes and after a few seconds "Okay." he said to her.

Emma weaved her hands and they disappeared in a gray smoke. When they oppened their eyes they were standing on a cliff. There was a cave behind them but it's entrance was closed by an ominous looking ivy. Emma can see the black venom that dropping out of it's thorns. They can also hear the spring inside the cave. Emma turned to Hook and asked. "Is this it?"

"Yes, love." Killian answered.

Suddenly the vines started to burn. Emma set them on fire without even needing to waving a hand. Gray flames consumed all of the dreamshades in mere seconds then disappeared into nothingness.

"This will take a while. You might want to seach for some supplies. But don't bother me for anything." She said to Killian. "I'll see you when I'm done." then she entered to the cave alone.

Emma conjured up a small glass vial and filled it with the water of the spring. Then she sit on the ground with a meditating position. Her back was turned to cave entrance. Before doing anything she started to think what's her next move going to be after making the cure. It'll be easier to just leave but she wanted to keep her promise to Henry. But then what? She was just going to let them use the handcuffs on her again? She didn't think so. At least if she leave after making a cure maybe Henry would forgive her someday. She doesn't have big dreams like having a happy ending like Rumplestiltskin does but it was nice to be around the people that care about her. It would be good to hang on to that. She just hoped for a way to get all she wanted. She sighed and snapped out of her day dreams.

She started to concentrate and tried to remember what other ingreadients she's going to need. This was an interesting process, since it required to go through someone else's memories.

 _Gold looked at the mirror and saw his reflection. "You're going to do that for free" he mimicked Bealfire's exact words to his reflection with a funny voice. "Ah, the things we do for our children." Then he plucked one strand of his hairs._ _ _"Strand of hair from an immortal beign." he said to himself._ Then he walked over to his safe and open it. "Well, that doesn't necesserily mean I can't get any other uses of my new found 'family'." he said to himself with an sly smile on his face. Then he started to rummage through the safe until he found a flask of water from the spring. Then he put his hair into the flask and cast a complicated spell. Potion started to glow with a purple color._

Emma opened her eyes with exitement. Maybe there is a way for her to get everything she wanted. While going through Rumpelstiltskin's memories she saw the Enchanted Candle in the safe, which Snow used to kill Cora. That was later used by Regina to summon Cora to get some answers about Zelena. She was still remembering the seance Regina did very vividly. If she can summon the Peter Pan's spirit she can ask him, or even force him, to tell her how to bypass the blocking powers of enhanced bracelets. She looked at Hook over her shoulder. He was standing guard outside the cave. Emma put up an illusion spell near the cave entrance. Now Hook will only see a meditating Emma. Then she put up an orb of silence around herself. She was going to need to murder weapon, the Dark One's dagger. _'What a weird coincidence.'_ she thought to herself then closed her eyes and concentrated on the dagger. Dagger appeared at the palm of her hand with the trademark give away of the short range teleport spell: a gray smoke. She was also going to need the murderer. As many would believe Rumpelstiltskin wasn't the only person that killed Peter Pan. There were two assailants. Rumpelstiltskin and the Dark One, which now resides within her. So technically murderer was alrady at the site. ' _Let's hope Peter Pan wouldn't mind the change of ownership.'_ she thought to herself then cast the spell to summon the Peter Pan.

A blue portal opened above her head but no one came through. However Emma, whose been down this road before, didn't buy it and cast a spell which would force invisible creatures become visible again. And there he was, Peter Pan, floating around her head with his smug face.

"Well well if this isn't the Saviour." he said to her.

Emma looked at him with her gold skin face and pure black eyes. "Guess again." She said to him. "So you finally learn to how to fly without needing a fiery dust huh?" She mocked.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Didn't you parents teach you not to mock with the death?" Then he examined her face and start laughing "So Rumple finally screwed things up again." Peter Pan said to her. He was practically glowing with happiness. "Did you kill him?"

"No." Emma answered "At least not yet."

"Too bad." Peter Pan said to her. "Ah well, you can't have everything."

"We're not here to talk about your needs short stuff." Emma said to him. "You're here because I need some information."

"You know, I don't feel like answering anyone's questions today." Peter Pan said. "In fact I think I'll just fly out of your fancy illision wall and say hello to my old friend Hook. Unless of course, you make it worth my while."

"Asshole as ever. How about this?" Emma asked. "Answer my questions and I won't hurt you."

When Peter Pan tried to fly outside the cave Emma didn't even try to stop him, or warn him for that matter. Pan crushed into a invisible wall and screamed in pain. His spiritual body was shaking like it got electrecuted.

Emma laughed. "Did I forget to tell you? I put a spell around us to keep spiritual beings 'outside'. But as you well know if it works to keep something out, it can also be used to keep something in."

Peter Pan now looking at her with a cautios expression. "You really are changed."

"You have no idea." Emma answered with a threatening voice. "Now, tell me how can I bypass the blocking powers of the enhanced bracelets. And know this. If you try to lie to me I'll now. And trust me on this, your personal hell would look like a holiday suite compared to what I'm going to do to you."

After seeing enough proof of her capabilities Peter Pan didn't want to test that theory. So he told him all she wanted to know.

After sending him away Emma cast various spells on herself as instructed then made three different potions and drink them down. Unfortunately there was no way of knowing if they worked until the she get handcuffed again.

Emma send the dagger back to Neal's cave then dispelled the camouflage spells she placed around herself.

After that she concentrated on making a cure for Kristoff. A strand of hair from an immortal being, water from the spring and a little magic. Voila, it was done. She got up and left the cave. Hook was waiting for him outside. She throwed the potion to Hook and said "It's done."

Killian catch the potion in mid air and looked at her like she was crazy. But he didn't say anything. "So you have everything you need?" Hook asked while puting the antidote to his pocket.

"Oh, yeah." Emma answered. She got everything she needed and more. "It's time to go."

* * *

As soon as they disappeared, Regina and Elsa dispelled the protective spells they're forced to put up for their own safety.

Elsa still couldn't believe what she saw. Did Emma really used both Light and Dark magic at the same time? Then she looked at Regina to ask "Did my eyes decieve me or did she just used both magical sources?"

"Yes." Regina confirmed Elsa. "Yes, she did."

"She could've warned us you know!" Anna yelled. She was yelling because of that weird noise was still ringing in their ears.

"I don't think she knew this could happen." Regina yelled back while showing the room with her hand. Broken tables and chairs were everywhere. They flew into each other and walls because of the wind Emma's magic caused. Swords were sticking out of walls. Corpses were scattered througout the dining hall. One of them even dangling down from a chandelier, which is surprisingly still standing after all that chaos."I think this was her first between realms teleportation with a passenger."

Elsa turned to Anna "Anna will you please send someone here to clean this mess? We will be at my private chamber."

"But what about Kristoff!" Anna said to her. "I don't want to leave him."

"There is nothing we can do for him." Elsa said. "We will take him with us. Don't worry he'll be fine."

Anna hugged to her sister then left the what's used to be a dining hall to find some servants.

Regina conjured up a self flying stretcher and used her magic to gently put Kristoff on it.

"Thank you." Elsa said to her. Then looked at all of them "Let's go. I don't want us to be here when they return."

After what they've been through none of them argued against it. Elsa on the front they started to walk through corridors while Kristoff's stretcher following behind them.

"Now Emma's not here maybe you can tell me why are you really here?" Elsa asked to them.

They looked at her with surprise then Snow answered. "We're here to talk to the Rock Trolls."

"We're trying to find a magician named Merlin." David said. "We're hoping that he can help us banish the Darkness inside Emma."

"That doesn't explain why are you not talking about this front of Emma." Elsa said to them. "You don't think that she doesn't want to be cured right?"

"Who knows what she thinks!" Regina said with anger. "What was she thinking? Binding herself to that thing just to... just to..."

Snow put her hand on Regina's shoulder. "It's not your fault Regina. It's no one fault." she said to her.

"That who she is... who she was, you know that." David said to Regina. "She saved you. She probably saved us all by sacrificing herself."

"Don't worry mom. We'll find a way to save her." Henry said to her with a brave smile.

Regina smiled him back then hugged him "Yes. Yes, we will." Then she cleaned herself up. Then started to talk Elsa again like nothing happened. We don't talk about him in front of her because we're not sure she wants to find him for the same reasons with us."

"You mean... You think she wants to kill him?" Elsa asked. "But why? Are you sure?"

"Well, she gets violent when ever someone tells his name," Snow said then added. "that's our other reason for not talking about him in front of her by the way."

After seeing what Emma did to those assassins Elsa can understand why.

"She almost killed Belle over nothing." David said to her.

"And you should have seen what she did to the sorcerer's Apprentice." Regina said then changed her mind. "Actually no. I'm glad you didn't see it."

"This doesn't sound like the Emma I remember." Elsa said to them.

"Because she's not." Regina said to her. "You'll do well to remember that."

Then they arrived at Elsa's chambers. When they open the door they saw Anna waiting for them.

"Finally!" she said to them and run over to Kristoff. "Where have you guys been? I've been starting to worry!"

"We've been only away for two minutes!" Elsa said to her while Regina put Kristoff on the bed with her magic.

"I know it felt like a life time." Anna said to her.

"How did you get here so fast?" Elsa asked to her sister.

"Well, I ran of course!" Anna answered to her.

"I think we should go see them while she's away." Snow said to them.

"See who?" Anna asked to them.

"Good idea." Elsa said to Snow. "Anna will take you there."

"Am I?"

"If she knows the area well I can just teleport us there." Regina said to her.

"To where?"

"Good. That way we will be back before she comes back." David said to them.

"Back from where?"

"Okay. I'll stay here with Kristoff. Elsa said to them. "Good luck."

"Good luck for what?"

"We're going to Valley of the Living Rock." Regina answered to Anna. "Now I want you to think about there really hard."

"Okay." Anna said to her then closed her eyes and waited. "So are we going or what?"

"Anna?" Grand Pabbie asked. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright with Kristoff? You're not divorcing are you?"

Anna nearly jumped out of her socks and opened her eyes. "No... I mean... yes. We're okay. Well, he's not. He's been kind of shot with a poisoned arrow but he's going to be fine. Someone's making a cure for it as we speak. I actually come here for my friends. They wanted to ask you something."

"Poisoned arrow." Grand Pabbie asked with a shocked face. "I know he smells bad but isn't that a bit of overreacting?"

Regina, impatient as always, couldn't take this chatter anymore. "We're not here to listen your gibberish. We're here to ask you a question." she said to the Rock Troll. "Now tell me Rocky. Do you know where Merlin is?"

"Merlin? I haven't heard that name for ages."

"So you know who who is?" Snow asked Grand Pabbie. Her exitement can be seen on her face.

"Yes. He came here to ask me something like you did." Then she looked at Regina and added. "With a nicer company I might add."

"Can you tell us where he is?" David asked.

"No." Troll answered.

"What, why not?" Henry asked. He was still looking at the Troll with widened eyes. "Please you have to help us he is our only hope for saving my mom."

"My sweet child." Troll said to Henry. "I can't tell you where he is because I don't remember it's name. But I can tell you what he wanted to know. Maybe it will help you narrow your search."

"So?" Regina asked. "What are you waiting for? A toll? Tell us already!"

"Well, he asked for a place where he can finally put his feets up. Preferebly a land without magic. I send him to a portal deep within forest."

"He's at earth?" They all asked at once.

"Aha!" Troll said "That was the name. Weird place."

"Also a big place." Snow said. "How're we going to find him there?"

"Wait, you said he had company." David said to the Troll "Who was he with?"

"A man named Elliott." Grand Pabbie said. "He was a nice fellow. For a Dragon."

"A dragon?" Snow asked to Troll. Then she looked at Regina. "You think Maleficent might know who he is?"

"I bet she does. We can also check Gold's shop when we get back." Regina said to them. "I bet imp will have something of Merlin's in his pawnshop. That can help us track him down with a locator spell if he's in Storybrooke."

"Ah. If it's something off his you're looking for then I can offer you one last assistance. Follow me." Grand Pabbie said to them then he rolled away. He stopped near a tree opened a hatch and pulled something out. "Here. He left it here before he go. Said he won't be need it anymore."

The object he pulled out was a very long staff. It was made of white oak and adorned with beutiful tree patterns. But at the top there was a pattern of a mighty dragon that breathes fire. That was Merlin's staff.

* * *

When Emma and Hook decided to go back, sun rays already was started to appear on the horizon. Between the assassins and everything they didn't realize that night was over. Emma had chosen Arendelle Castle's main hall as their teleport destination. It was a big space and it will be probably empty at this hour. Then Emma cast her spell.

When Hook opened his eyes and found himself at the castle he smiled. "Well done, love. You're getting good at this." He said to Emma. But couldn't get an answer. When he looked around to see her, he understood why. Emma was lying on the ground, motionless with hot steams coming out of her body. "Emma!" he yelled with panic. He tried to turn her around but his hand burned. After screaming in pain he use his hook for the task. When he finally managed to do so he saw that Emma was bleeding through her eyes, ears, and nose. Hook took off his jacket then put it under her to avoid being burned again after that he lifted her up and start running into the castle while screaming for help.

Emma briefly opened her eyes. "What are you doing?" she murmered. "Put me down. I'm not a sack of potatoes, you know... I said-" then she passed out again.

"Emma!" Hook yelled "Wake up love, wake up! We just have to find Regina that's all. She can heal you up right quick." He said to her to comfort her, or rather to comfort himself. "Where the bloody hell is everybody! We need some help!"

Royal Guards came out of nowhere and stopped them. "Hold it right there!" one of them said, by looking at the marks on her shoulder he was a sergeant. When they saw Emma bleeding they assumed the worst. "In the name of the Queen, Put her down and raise your hands above your head."

"Out of my way soldier boy." Hook yelled. He wasn't exactly thinking straight right now. "She needs a bloody doctor!"

Soldiers unsheathed their swords. "I will not ask again!" sergeant sait to him. "Put her down and lay down your weapon right now or-..."

"Stop!" Elsa ordered to her soldiers. "Let this man pass."

"Yes, my Queen!" Sergeant answered then took a bow. He look at the soldiers under his command then yelled. "Move out!"

Elsa came running towards Emma and Hook. "What happened?" she asked then touched Emma's skin before Hook can warn him otherwise. She let out a small painful scream. "Ouch!" then looked at Hook with questions in her eyes.

"I don't know." Hook said to her. "Same thing happened when we get there but nothing severe like this. Then she said she's okay. That it just the toll of strong magics. I shouldn't have believed her. But when we returned this happened." He was talking really fast and with an immense level of panic in his voice. "She needs Regina. Where is she?"

Elsa had to call out his name a few times before she can make him listen. "Killian, Regina is not here." Elsa said to him. "She is burning up. Let's take her to the tub in my room so I can create some ice for her." Then she started to walk.

"What? Why, where is she?" Hook asked to her while following her.

"As soon as you two were gone they go to talk with the Rock Trolls." She answered.

"What? When will they return? Why didn't they wait for us?"

"Well they said they didn't want to risk her" she pointed to Emma with her head. "getting violent when they ask about a certain men."

When they reached to her chambers Killian saw Kristoff on the bed then he carried Emma to the bathtub and gently put her in as instructed.

Elsa quickly created ice cubes inside the tub but they were melted as fast as they appeared and water started to boil. Elsa couldn't believe what she saw. The ice she made through her magic always been impervious to damage but now for some reason it was melting like a butter. "Hold her head above the water." she ordered to Killian. When Hook did as he was told she tried to freeze the boiling water. When she saw the ice started to melt again Elsa understood that if she wants this to work she had to continue to apply her magic. It took about five minutes but ice finally stopped melting and Emma's fewer finally started to brake. There was no point in keeping them any longer so Elsa turned the ice back to water then vaporized it. After that she sat down with exhaustion and tried to catch her breath. "Don't worry. She'll be okay.

"Thank you Elsa." Hook said while caressing his beloved's hairs. Then he reached to his pocket and showed her the antidote. "I can't believe I almost forgot about that."

"Ah. So she really did it." Elsa said to him with a smile. "Anna would be happy."

Then suddenly Elsa's chambers door opened then Anna, Henry, David Snow and Regina walked in. Anna run straight towards Kristoff while others gathered around Emma. Snow only paused to lean the wizard staff, which she carried since they got it, to a wall near the doors before joining them.

"What happened?" Snow White asked to Hook with a worried look.

"She is going to be okay." Killian said to them. "You can thank Elsa for that."

"There will be time for that later." Elsa said to them and handed over the antidote to her sister. "You are just in time. I was about to give it to him but it would be better if you do it."

"Is that it?" Anna asked to her sister.

Elsa smiled and confirmed with her head.

Anna took the potion and poured it down Kristoff's throat.

Kristoff caughed a few times then opened his eyes. "What happened?" He asked to his wife. Anna let out a scream of joy and hugged to him. While Anna told him what has happened he listened with widened eyes. When she is done "How long was I out?" he asked with a shocked voice.

"Just a few hours." Elsa answered "Enough to almost give my sister a heart attack."

"Can someone please tell me what the hell happened to my daughter now?" Snow asked with an annoyed voice.

"Well, I would but I'm not entirely sure what happened." Elsa answered to her. "If I were to guess, I would say she kind of got overloaded." Between the first battles and then the assassins now this Elsa was feeling exhausted because of constant use of her powers. But all she need to do was get some rest to get back to her full strength. So Emma must be going through something similar but at a much larger scale.

"That seems likely." Regina said to her.

"But we never saw something similar ever happened to you. So why this is happening to her?" David asked.

Regina sighed and answered. "You never saw it because I hide it well. This is one of the greatest weakness of sorcerers so no one likes to talk about it. We, magicians, start to feel overwhelmingly exhausted after constant use of our powers. After a while we came to a state that, we can't even manage to magically lift a feather during a harsh winter." She looked at Emma and added. "Dark One probably didn't even care about what happens to her physical body while making her able to use such tremendous powers and pushed her beyond the laws of magic. After all she is immortal. And if somehow we can free her from Dark One why would it care what happens to her after it's done with her?"

"What do you mean after it's done with her?" Snow asked to her with a worried look. "Are you saying she might die if we seperate her from the Dark One?"

"All I'm saying that it's possible." Regina said with a sad look.

"No." David said to them. "I refuse to believe that. She is a strong girl. When we finally get that thing out of her she'll be okay."

Hook, who's been at Emma's side during this entire ordeal, wasn't that sure about that.

Snow hold his husbands hand. "We just need to make sure that she won't wore herself out until then." she said to them.

Regina showed them the handcuffs. "It's a good thing we brought these then." she said to them. Then she put the cuffs on Emma's wrists.

Elsa wanted to change the subject away from all that doom and gloom "What is that?" She asked to Snow by pointing to the staff near the door.

"That's appereantly Merlin's staff." Regina said to her.

"What? Where did you get it?" Hook asked to them.

"Get this Elsa." Anna said with an exited voice. "Appereantly the Sorcerer had come here to talk with Grand Pabbie few years back. He asked if Grand Pabbie knows a land without magic so he can get some rest. And you never believe where he is now. He's at earth! I mean can you imagine to come all this way, just the learn he is where you left? And now there is an huge army between here and there. It must be so..."

Henry, Hook, David, Snow and Regina eagerly finished her sentence for her at the same time:

"Disappointing?" Henry asked.

"Annoying?" Hook asked.

"Discouraging?" David asked.

"Upsetting?" Snow asked.

"Irritating." Regina said, which wasn't very clear at the moment that if she was talking about the situation or Anna.

Emma slowly opened her eyes. "What happened?" she asked to them then she looked at her clothes "And why am I so wet?" She was moving so slow like she was still sore. But before anyone can answer her questions Emma's eyes suddenly fixated on the Magician's staff. Sudden change in her behavior was scary at best. One minute she was looking tired and harmless, the next, she started to look like infuriated and murderous. Emma got up with an agileness of a predator. "Where did you get that?" she asked to them between her clinched teeth.

"Emma! Calm down." David said to her.

"This is his isn't it?" Emma asked while slowly stepping out of bathtub. "Yes it is." she answered her own question. "It's radiates a sickeningly rightheous aura."

"Mom please calm down." Henry pleaded. "You're screaring me!"

"I will calm down..." Emma said to them then she continued with her terrible double voice: _"RIGHT AFTER 'WE' SMASH IT TO SMALL PIECES!"_ Then she started to run towards the staff. If she wasn't that obsessed about getting to that staff who knew what kind of damage she could cause to the others but now she was just pushing them out of her way, which wasn't as harmless as it sounds considering her inhuman strength.

Elsa quickly created a tick ice to stop Emma by trapping her legs, just few steps before she reached to staff.

Emma was still trying to reach to the staff. It wasn't a pretty sight. She was clawing the air in hopes off getting her hands on the staff and growling like a beast. They tried to reach her out but she was completely unresponsive. Then she suddenly broke the ice and throwed herself to the staff. When Emma finally lay a hand on Merlin's staff, a magical blast came out of it and hit her right in the chest. The strength of the countermeasure send her flying above their heads, all the way to the back wall in the room which filled with cracks because of the impact. Emma slowly slid down to the floor and stayed there in a sitting postition, she was knocked uncounsoious.

After their shock wears off they ran over to Emma then checked for pulse. After learning and relieving about the fact that she is alright, Regina put her on the bed with magic.

"What was that?" Anna asked to them while looking suspiciously to the staff. "It certeinly wasn't doing anything like that when we get it."

"I think it's a protection spell." Elsa answered. "I were to guess I'd say it sensed the darkness in her so it repelled her. Very clever really. So the staff will never fall into the wrong hands." Then she approached and hold the staff while others hold their breath. "See? Nothing happened." Then she tried to give it to Regina.

Regina took a few steps back. "It might not be that forgiving about my past as you all do." She said to them. "I don't think I should risk it." Elsa didn't insist.

"Well, that's just great, isn't it?" Hook asked to them "How're we supposed to journey back with that thing with us" he pointed to the staff "while she tries to rip our throats out?"

"How are we even going to get back when there is an army in our way?" Snow asked.

"No, he is right." Regina said to them. "We might want to find a way to conceal it on our trip to back home or it will be a short one."

"I might have something in the vault." Elsa said to them and turned to Anna and Kristoff. "Anna, you remember the little bag on the vault aren't you? The one we almost lost you inside of it when you're a baby. Can you bring it here please?" When they left they turned to others. "That bag of holding will be usefull on your journey.

"A bag of holding?" Regina asked. "I always heard such items but never get a hold of one."

"What does it do?" David asked to them.

"Well if rumors were true a person could put in it a truck full of stuff but bag will still have enough space even for truck itself." Regina explained.

"Sounds valuable." Hook said to Elsa. "Are you sure you want to part with it, love?"

"Ah, it's not a big deal." Elsa answered. "It was dusting away at the vault for who knows how many years. I'm just glad that I can do something to help."

"Thank you." Snow said to her and gave her a hug.

"So when do you leave?" Elsa asked toto them.

"We should go as soon as possible." Regina said to her. "Tomorrow if it's possible. We can't afford any delay if wwe want her to live." Regina pointed to Emma with her finger.

"I'm sorry, Elsa." Snow said to her. "We came here and drop our problems on your feet but you still found time to help us... help her. I wish we could've done something to help you."

"It's okay." Elsa said to them with a sad smile. "You already done more then I can ask. You gave us a fighting chance by destroyed those machines." Then she looked at Emma, her friend. "Just save her."

"There is still an army on our way." Hook said to them.

"Since I already know where it is I can teleport us near the portal." Regina said to him. "With a little luck, we will be back at Storybrooke before we know it."

Anna entered to the room with a small bag in her hands, which looks like there is nothing special about it. Elsa walked over to Anna with the Magician's staff and stuffed it into the bag while they were looking. Bag of Holding swallowed the stuff which was ten times taller than itself, just like that. Then Elsa handed over the bag to Regina. Then they left for their room.

While they were walking through corridors Snow approached Regina and asked "You never said why did you needed a bag of holding."

Regina looked at her for a minute then let out a small laugh. "I was always dreaming about putting you in one of them and throwing it to the river." she answered with an embarrassed look on her face.

'Regina magically transferred Emma to their room. Tonight was her turn to stay with her while Henry and Snow sharing a room. Regina magically put Emma on one of the beds and hid the bag of holding under her own bed then lay down on to finally get some rest. It was a strange day. First assassins then Neverland and Rock Trolls. It was hard to think it all happened at the same evening. She closed her eyes and fall into sleep.

* * *

Emma woke up few minutes after Regina fall to sleep. She was still a little sore because of using too much magic and happened with the staff but otherwise she was okay.

When she thought about the staff she felt a sudden rage but she tried to get a hold of herself. She looked around and saw Regina on her bed. After making sure she was sleeping Emma anxiously got up. If she wants to survive her meeting with the sorcerer she will have to learn to control that rage. But that was another days problem.

Today she just wanted to see if she can use magic when she is handcuffed. When she was able to create a small fire inside her palm she was almost going to jump with joy then she saw Regina getting restless in her bed, so she quickly quenched it.

Emma put up an illusion of herself to the bed and snuck out of the room. She was thinking about finding and destroying the stuff. When she closed her eyes and tried to sense it's aura there was nothing to find. It was hidden. She gnashed her teeth with anger but before she can do anything else she heard voices coming down the hall way.

Emma quickly put an invisibility spell on herself and watched the servants as they pass by. They were carrying all kinds of stuff. Platas, glasses, chairs, tables, forks and various decorations. Emma's curiosity got the best of her and she decided to follow the servants. After series of hallways Emma and the servants entered a giant ball room.

Ball room was crawling with servants, whom working like ants. They turned this room into a giant dining hall with all the chairs and tables they carried here. They were filling the walls with all kinds of adornments and decorations. And in the midst of all this chaos Anna was standing on a table, shouting out orders. They were preparing the room for Elsa's birthday.

Old Emma would probably think what Anna does is sweet. But new and improved, in some cases like this downgraded, Emma saw this as a big waste of time. They were wasting precious resources, time and effort to what a magician, like Elsa, Regina or herself, do with a wave of her hand. Emma turned around to leave with a bored expression on her face then she saw saw a big pile of gifts in one corner of the giant room then she smiled.

Emma couldn't believe how rude she was, almost leaving Arendelle without leaving a parting gift. She teleported herself to rooftop of one of the towers they saw while walking towards castle five or six days ago. She conjured up a spyglass and start to investigate the big army camp right outside the castle. She found the tent she was looking for right away. It was more of a small palace rather than a tent compared to others in the army camp. There were thirteen flag flying above this tent which represents Hans and his twelve brothers.

Emma stood there like a statue for almost an hour. She watched the messengers, they were running between royal tent and other ranked officers tents. She also watched enemy the patrols movement patterns. Luckily it was night time so there weren't that much foot traffic, so it will be easy to avoid them. Once she gathered all the information she can get from that vantage point, she decided that it was time to move.

Emma disguised herself as one of the enemy soldiers and teleported near the camp. She systematically killed all of the high ranking officers around the camp one by one and teleported their body to a place no one can find. It was too bad that she can't kill Barnabas twice. It took a few hours to get them all but she did it, by the time she was done there was no more chain of command in the camp. It was time to make sure that no one can establish another one. Emma teleport herself near the royal camp but before she go in, she decided to try and leaern the inside man's identity so she disguised herself as one of the assassins.

Emma silently dispatched the soldier guarding the Royals then walked into the big tent and imitate the soldiers salute. There were thirteen men in this room and all of them have resembling facial features. They were gathered around a big map of the surrounding area.

When they saw Emma they all turned around and looked at her. And one of them spoke. "What are you doing here?" This man was the younger of the brothers, Hans. "Our connection with the Assassin's Guild told us that there will be no further contact after the job is done. Job is done isn't it?"

Emma was hoping to let them do all athe talking but they were already looking suspicous so she had to play along. "Job is done." Emma answered hoping to lower their guards with some good news.

They all cheered for a moment and hugged to each other. "Witch is dead!" they said. "I told you my plan would work!" Hans told his brothers. After they're done they turned around and looked at Emma again. "So why are you here?" Hans asked to assassin. "You've already been paid."

"There is been a complication." Emma said and got back up on her feets with a thretening gesture. "You forget to tell us that our target was a spellcaster. We have been misinformed and several of my brothers died. Guild will not be happy."

"So what?" asked one of the brothers with a rude voice but others immediately told him to shut up while looking at him like he was crazy.

Hans was treading carefully, knowing an misunderstanding with the Assassin's Guild will shorten their family tree rapidy. "I don't mean to be rude but my brother actually correct." Hans said to her very politely. "You knew there will be risks while getting the job why should be responsible for loss of your men?"

"That would be correct if loss was our fault." Emma answered to hans with a calm voice. "Since it's because of the information you neglected to share with us, we will see it as the blood of our brothers is in your hands. You're indebted to us."

"So you want more money is that it?" Hans asked to her. "That can be handled after the battle."

"Our Guild Master will decide how much you're indebt to us. But as only surviving member of the raid, you're indebted to me in blood." Emma said to him and corrected the misunderstanding.

The tempeture in the room quickly dropped below zero and all of the brothers exept Hans reached for their weapons. "Stop you morons!" Hans said to them knowing killing one perticular assassin wouldn't solve anything. "I'm sure we can come to an arrengement. Look we told who the target is to our contact. Never hided the fact she is a witch. He misled you not us."

"Then tell me his name." Emma demanded. "The one who misled us. With his death all debts will be paid."

"Okay." Hans said to her. "He is the Duke of Weselton. He was supposed to be at the castle, making nice with the Queen."

Emma took a deep breath and dispelled her illusion. "Thank you." She said to them and laughed at their shocked faces. "I was worried I was going to have to use force to get that information out of you." When they tried to attack her she paralized all thirteen of them at the same time without even having to wave a hand. "Not that I would mind a little torture, in fact I would love it. But I'm on a clock you see? Lucky for me you were more then willing the sell out your partner." Emma forced them on their knees with her magic and pulled out her katana then she separeted their heads from their bodies one by one. Instead of hiding their bodies Emma left them out in the open for all the see. This will creat a panic and chaos inside the enemy ranks. Without any other authority figure to pick up the pieces hopefully army will disband and scater throughout the land.

After her work is done Emma teleported back to castle and paid a visit to Duke of Weselton in his private quarter. Duka had one of the darkest aura she ever saw, exept for the one she saw in the mirror. Emma put a sound barrier inside the room then make a short work of him.

After that is done she yawned and go to bed with a fuzzy feeling of 'job well done'. When she finally back in her room sun was just started to rise.

* * *

Next morning Henry ran inside his mothers room and shake them both up. While Regina quickly got up and started to pack up her things for the journey "How did you sleep?" He asked to Emma.

"Like I haven't slept at all." Emma answered. When she saw the Henry's worried look shequickly added "Don't worry. I'm okay."

After they're done packing they walked over to the entrance hall in servants company. Elsa, Anna and Kristoff was already there, waiting for them with a calm smile. It was time for the tearful goodbye so they're all started to hug each other. Emma said goodbye to Elsa but then she hugged to Anna to everyone's surprise.

"Are you sure you don't want us to stay and help?" Snow asked to Elsa.

"Don't worry about us we will be okay." Elsa said to them.

"We're feeling like running away." David said to her.

"Well this wasn't your battle to begin with but you helped anyway so you shouln't feel like that..." Elsa said to them but before she can finish her sentence a soldier came running.

"M'Lady!" Soldier bowed before her Queen "There is movement on the enemy camp. You should see this." he said to her.

Elsa quickly said her goodbyes and wish them a good journey. Then she followed the soldier while accompanied by Anna and Kristoff.

"Time to go!" Regina said to them. "Everyone stay close." When they made a tight circle around her, she teleported them into the forest, near the portal to Storybrooke.

Bodies of the soldiers, whom Emma fight when they arrive, were still there and true to her word they were really look like a forest monster attacked them. Their arms and legs were missing and there is blood splatters so high on the trees they had no idea it got there. Snow quickly hugged to Henry to shield his eyes while Regina opened the portal. They quickly walk through the door and find themselves at the Magician's mansion.

"Let's go home." Snow said to them while they load their stuff to David's truck. "I have a meeting with a very special men."

"Who's that lucky guy?" David asked her with a smile.

"His name is Neal." Snow answered to him playfully. "He is my baby boy. Handsome as his father. You should come see him, I'm sure he will be happy to see you."

When they finally got in to town and get close to Regina's house "I can't wait to see Robin." Regina said to them then she smelled her clothes and added. "After taking a shower."

Snow looked at her with a cunning smile "Well I'm sure he wouldn't mind seeing you before or during your shower."

Regina tried to act like she didn't heard what Snow said but her blushing face gave her away. She got out of the truck with Henry and took her stuff from trunk. "I think we should all stay at my place, until this Dark One business is over." She said to them. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Okay." Snow said to her. "See you guys later." Then they drove away.

Later that night Regina had more guests then she asked for, since the all town wanted to celebrete their return and wanted to learn to news about how to get rid of the Dark One for good. While everyone is mingling Snow White and Regina talked with Maleficent about Elliott, Merlin's companion. That was the real reason of this party, to be able to talk about him away from Emma.

What they didn't know is that Emma already knew about that other dragon thanks to her robbery of someone's memories and she had a pretty good idea who that man is. She was still remembering the conversation that took place at Granny's between Lily and herself. So she approached Lily.

"Hi, Lily." Emma said to her. "Relax. I'm not here to fight." She added quickly when Lily turned around combat ready. She still had some cuts and bruises around her body. "Damn. I did quite a number on you, didn't I?" Emma said to her and laughed.

"What do you want Emma?" Lily asked her angrily.

"Well this might come as a shock but I think I found your father." Emma answered her question.

"Really? Where? Is he here?" Lily asked to her with an exited voice.

"What am I, Happy Ending Delivery Service?" Emma asked her with an annoyed voice. "No, he is not here but he is in this world and I know how to find him."

"How?

"Meet me at the Gold's Pawn Shop at midnight." Emma said to her. "We're going on a road trip."

* * *

That evening at Arandelle's Castle, Elsa was sitting on a big fancy chair and elegantly thanking to kind people of Arandelle for coming to celebrate her birthday with their Queen. They were also celebrating the withdrawn of the enemy army. Withdrawn!

Southern Isles army was ten times bigger then Arendelle's deffenders and they suddenly withdrawn? Elsa was always optimistic about their chances of surviving this war but this was unbelievable even for her. Reports coming in from their spies in the enemy army was unreliable at best. One of the reports said that Hans and his brothers were fighting each other, that would explain the in fight among enemy numbers througout the land. One report said they bankrupt which doesn't seem possible. One said they finally exepted the Arendelle's supremecy and one of the brothers wishes to marry with the Queen. Elsa decided to fire this spy at first chance she got. Last report said that all brothers were dead, assassinated by an unknown enemy and army now had no leader.

Among other reports Elsa feared the last one to be true the most. If it were true chaos will not only reign to Southern Islands for years to come, it will spread to everywhere. No ruler means no trade, no trade means no food, medicine and other necessities througout the country. And most importantly no one to call the massive army back to it's home. Most of these soldiers will probaby resort to banditary now and prey on the weak on years to come. Just thinking about it made Elsa's head hurt.

She looked down to the letter in her hand. That was Duke of Weselton's suicide letter. He was found hanged in his room with this note inside his pocket. Letter was a confession of the plot to overthrowing Elsa from the throne with his Southern Island allies and aiding to assasins that attacked her yesterday. Judging by the condition of the letter Duke's hand must have been shaking like a leaf while writing those words, bacause it was berely readable, like someone forced him to write. _'I'm ashamed to admit...'_ She read the word 'Ashamed' with utter disbelief. It was clear that who ever forced him to do that doesn't exactly know the guy. But this letter meant one thing for Elsa at the moment: Another neighboorhood country that will probably be consumed by chaos in coming years.

Elsa couldn't effort to think those two events were unrelated. And she was sure as hell Duke of Weselton didn't commit suicide. Man has too much ego for letting anything get to him like that. Elsa had a very short suspect list but one name kept popping in her head above all others. She was thinking about that since she felt a magical residue on the paper the letter was written on. Dark One. She knew that it shouldn't be possible with the handcuffs on her wrists but maybe she found a way to free herself from their restrictions. And now her friends were on the road with Emma without knowing how much danger they are really in. The very thought scared her even more than anything that happened in last few days. But she was jumping at conclusions there must be some other explenations.

When she first felt the magic residue Elsa sent everyone away and started to investigate the Duke's room on her own. She found the exact papers that Emma found on assassin among Duke's stuff. A map of severs, a sketch of herself and a list about Queen's possible whereabouts in certein hours, all vibrating with magical residue. One of the reasons she was almost sure this wasn't a suicide is, upon further investigation Elsa discovered that Duke was preparing to pin all the blame on Anna. This was also the reason why she didn't bother to shed a tear after the man. Perfect scapegoat for destroying Arendelle's royal family lineage with one strike.

Now she was sitting on her chair with dark clouds hanging over her head. When guests finally started to left Anna, Kristoff and Elsa steered towards to huge pile of gifts.

"What is it Elsa?" Anna asked to her sister. "You berely say a word all evening. You didn't like your birthday party didn't you? Is it because of the cake?" In the mean while she ripped open a small present and displayed it's content to her sister. A silver ice pick.

Elsa cut her sisters comments in half, knowing she would go on until morning otherwise "No, Anna everything was perfect. Thank you." Elsa said to her. "There is just a lot in my mind." She opened up another present and found an ice cube tray. She looked at both cards on gifts and smiled. "From our cousins of course. Their sense of humours still intact I see." She looked at the ice pick and ice cube tray and added. "And still bad."

"I still can't believe Grand Pabbie didn't come to your birthday." Kristoff said to Elsa. And looked at Anna "You did invite them didn't you? While you were there today?" He asked to his wife.

"What do you mean?" Anna asked to him she seemed confused. "I haven't seen Grand Pabbie in weeks." Then she approached to a big birthday present.

Elsa and Kristoff looked at her with shock. "Anna you were there just today don't you remember?" Elsa asked to her sister while a ominious feeling started to sink in. "And you came back with the Magician's staff."

"You're mistaken." Anna said to her sister while wrestling with the big box. "I remember the staff but I didn't bring it here. Snow and others did when they returned from Valley of the Living Rock.

Elsa then understood that her suspicions about Emma was right all along. "She took your memory!" She said to them with an angry voice. She never liked when someone mess with her sister.

"Who?" Kristoff asked to her.

"Emma." Elsa said to them. "Must be when she hugged you before they left. I should have known something is wrong!"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Anna asked to her she was still trying to open the big box. "Maybe she just thought she is going to miss me and..." When she saw how they looked at her she quickly added. "Okay, yeah. She stole my memory. But I thought she couldn't use magic." Then she finally forced open the big box but because of the strength she applied box turned over.

Anna screamed and jumped backwards while thirteen heads rolled around the floor. One of them stopped right next to Elsa. That was Hans or what's left of him she had no doubt about it and there was something scratched on his forhead with a knife. Elsa reluctantly tilt the head with one of her feets to see what is written and read it: 'Happy Birthday!'

Elsa called on an emergency meeting with her emissaries and genreals. She ordered them to preserve the peace at Arendelle and it's surrounding areas at all costs. She didn't bother to explain why she was leaving at such a critical time. Not because of the questions bothered her, she was just can't afford to waste anymore time.

Truth is Elsa was scared. If Emma just killed fourteen lords that she perceived as a threat just because she feel like it, who is to say one day she won't decide the other rulers were't so necessery either and came after them. New Dark One was a great danger to all the people in all the realms.

Few minutes later Anna Elsa and Kristoff were on their way to the portal to Storybrooke. Because of her ice magic she can't teleport with others without turning them into popsicles so they had to walk. She was afraid that by the time they arrive it was going be too late.


End file.
